Tricycle driver yields P204,000 ‘shabu’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – About 30 grams of suspected shabu worth P204,000 were seized by police from a 41-year-old tricycle driver in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Miranda, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, last Tuesday.

Police Major Clifford Batadhay, town police chief, stated that the suspect was targeted based on information about his alleged illegal activities and revelations from previously arrested drug suspects who identified him as their source.

The suspect is a newly-identified street-level individual, according to Batadhay. Police also recovered P1,000 in marked money and a .38 caliber revolver with four rounds of ammunition from the suspect.

“He’s considered armed and dangerous, but the operation was conducted peacefully,” Batadhay said.

Drug charges and a case for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition are being prepared against the suspect.

Meanwhile, six persons were busted after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Negros Occidental dismantled an alleged drug den at Purok Sigay, Barangay 2, here last Tuesday.

Confiscated were seven grams of suspected shabu worth P47,600, marked money, an improvised tooter, lighters, P220, a pair of scissors, and a plastic case with drug paraphernalia.

The drug bust was conducted in coordination with PDEA-6 Special Enforcement Team Bravo and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit (PDEG-SOU)-6.