SEIZED SHABU. The pieces of evidence seized following the anti-drug operation conducted by the combined operatives of the Butuan City Police Office and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Caraga Region in Butuan City on Wednesday evening (Jan. 29, 2020). The operation resulted in the confiscation of shabu worth PHP295,000 and the arrest of a high-value suspect Rhea Dolor Naelga Lao. (Photo courtesy of BCPO Information Office)
BUTUAN CITY – Authorities seized a sachet of suspected shabu weighing 25 grams worth PHP295,000 in a buy-bust operation conducted Wednesday evening (Jan. 29) in Purok 4, Barangay Bayanihan here.
The combined operatives from Butuan City Police Office (BCPO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Caraga (PDEA-13) also arrested suspect Rhea Dolor Naelga, 35, a resident of Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City.
BCPO chief, Col. Canilo Fuentes, told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday (Jan. 30) that Naelga is a high-value target of the Directorate for Intelligence of Police Regional Office-10.
Fuentes said Lao had been arrested sometime in 2017 in Cagayan de Oro City but was released last year after a plea-bargaining agreement.
“From Cagayan de Oro, Lao transferred here in Butuan City and continued her illegal drug operations,” he added.
Police and PDEA operatives also recovered the four pieces of PHP500 used as marked money and a total of PHP73,000 worth of "boodle money" used during the buy-bust operation.
Lao was detained at Butuan City Police Station 3 after her inquest proceeding Thursday morning, said Fuentes, who commended the police and PDEA operatives for the successful operation. (PNA)
