P850,000 ‘shabu’ seized in two drug sting

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two separate buy-bust operations yielded a total of P850,000 worth of suspected shabu from five persons here this week.

On Thursday night, the Police Drug Enforcement Group – Special Operations Unit (PDEG-SOU-6) and Police Station 8 arrested four persons at Zone 4, Villa Esperanza, Barangay Tangub, for the confiscation of 60 grams of suspected shabu worth P408,000.

The seized items include a total of 16 sachets of suspected shabu, marked money, and other non-drug items.

The operation was also in coordination with the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU)-6 and the PNP-Integrity Monitoring Enforcement Group (IMEG) Visayas Field Unit.

Police Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, in a statement, said that this operation sends a strong message that they are not tolerating illegal drug activities in the region.

He commended the collaborative efforts of the police units involved in the successful buy-bust operation.

“We will continue to work together, employing effective strategies and leveraging our collective resources, to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens,” Villaflor said.

The following day, a man was also arrested after he allegedly yielded 65 grams of suspected shabu worth P442,000 at his rented house in Purok Goopio, Barangay Villamonte here early Friday.

Operatives of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) arrested Dennis Ian Cardeñas, 33, of Barangay Villamonte.

Police Captain Joven Mogato, CDEU head, said they monitored the suspect for almost three weeks after receiving information that he allegedly returned to engaging in the illegal drug trade.

Mogato said the suspect was previously jailed at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City for a drug offense.

But he was released sometime last year after he appealed the case, Mogato said.

Mogato said the suspect is a high value individual, considering the volume of the recovered illegal drugs which is more than 50 grams and his previous drug offense.

Mogato said the suspect was also allegedly identified as a source of some drug suspects who were allegedly holding “pot sessions” in a public cemetery here.

He said the illegal drugs reportedly came outside Negros Occidental.

The P10,000 marked money was also recovered from him, according to Mogato.

Drug charges are being readied against Cardeñas, who is detained at Police Station 4.