Top drug personality, 18 others nabbed in P437-K ‘shabu’ busts

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Nineteen persons, including an alleged top drug personality were arrested in separate anti-illegal drug operations here and in Negros Occidental, which resulted in the recovery of P437,000 worth of suspected shabu from July 25 to 28, 2021.

Of the 19 arrested, seven were apprehended in the province, while 12 others were arrested here in the past five days.

In Bacolod, P362,200 worth of suspected shabu was seized by police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Barangays 14, Villamonte, Taculing, 40, 27, and Singcang-Airport.

The City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) made the biggest drug haul here within the said period after confiscating P170,000 worth of suspected shabu from 36-year-old Erwin Toledo of Barangay 40 last Tuesday.

PDEA-6 also dismantled an alleged drug den at Barangay 27 last Wednesday, which resulted in the arrest of five individuals, including Chona Diaz, an alleged drug den maintainer.

The drug bust operation also led to the recovery of P68,000 worth of suspected shabu, according to PDEA.

In Negros Occidental, P74,800 worth of illegal drugs was recovered in the cities of Kabankalan, San Carlos, Himamaylan, La Carlota, and the town of Binalbagan.

In Himamaylan City, police served an arrest warrant for violation of Section 5 (sale of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against Joy Jen Utana, 28, of Barangay 6, Kabankalan City last Tuesday.

Utana is identified as fourth in the drug priority target list of Kabankalan City Police Station, according to the police.

The arrest warrant with no bail recommended was issued by Presiding Judge Rodney Magbanua of Regional Trial Court Branch 61 in Kabankalan City.

Police recovered from Utana a sachet of suspected shabu worth P6,800 and drug paraphernalia.