PHP1.8 million shabu seized in overnight city drug stings

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A series of anti-drug operations within 12 hours in Iloilo City led to the arrest of 10 drug suspects.

Records from the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) show that the operations resulted in the confiscation of 269 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP1.829 million.

The first arrest came during an operation by Iloilo City Police Station 2.

Police arrested alias Mina, 49, a call center agent from Barangay Caingin, La Paz, around 2:20 p.m. on June 29.

She was caught with 50 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP340,000.

At about 4:50 p.m. on July 29, operatives from ICPS 4 arrested alias Toto, 25, in a buy-bust operation in Barangay San Pedro, Molo.

Authorities recovered an undetermined amount of suspected shabu worth PHP34,000.

Around 9 p.m., ICPS 3 operatives arrested alias Kate, 28, of Barangay San Isidro, Jaro.

Police seized five grams of suspected shabu worth PHP34,000 from her.

Personnel from ICPS 1 also arrested alias Daday, 50, of Barangay Sto. Rosario Duran, City Proper, during an anti-narcotics operation.

Four grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP27,200 were seized from her.

At 10:42 p.m., a joint operation by ICPO’s City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) and ICPS 6 led to the arrest of four suspects in Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo.

Those arrested were alias Cyrel, 36; alias Tintin, 41, a tricycle driver; alias Biy, 55, a vendor — all residents of Barangay Calaparan — and alias Doods, 27, a vendor from Barangay Boulevard, Molo.

They were found with about 110 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP748,000.

Less than an hour later, ICPS 7 operatives arrested alias Kimpay, 55, of Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala I, City Proper.

Police recovered around 40 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP272,000.

The final operation was intelligence-driven and conducted by the ICPO-CDEU with support from ICPS 9.

It led to the arrest of a high-value target at 1:55 a.m. in Barangay Democracia, Jaro.

The suspect, alias Tata, 56, a construction worker from Barangay Benedicto, Jaro, was caught with 13 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 55 grams, worth PHP374,000.

Colonel Kim Legada, ICPO chief, commended all operating units for their successful operations and sustained anti-drug efforts.

“These accomplishments demonstrate ICPO’s firm commitment to cleansing our streets of the menace of illegal drugs,” he said.

He added that ICPO will continue its dedicated service to ensure safety and security for all residents and tourists.