ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Authorities arrested 15 people, dismantled a drug den, and seized some PHP224,800 worth of illegal drugs in separate anti-drug operations in the region, a top police official said on Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Jesus Cambay Jr., Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, said five were arrested during a buy-bust operation around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Salipyasin, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Cambay said a joint team of police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives also dismantled a drug den during the raid.
He identified those arrested in the alleged drug den as Noraida Amil Balboa, 28; Athea Amil Sanday, 52; Nurhana Alih Abdurahman, 29, the alleged drug den maintainer; Julkitle Lindungan Sayade, 57; and Alex Bandivas Marasigan, 29.
Authorities confiscated from the drug den some 15 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP102,000 and other pieces of evidence, police said.
Cambay identified the other arrested suspects as Lemuel Sagario Mosqueda, 36; Rosalie David Rivera, 42; Nurshina Ali Hajjar, 25; Menie Solis Baclas, 25; Christian Palańa Banua, 36; Ronnel Vergara Enderez, 36; Rico Iraham Rebollos, 39; Rolando Jupakal Dais, 38; Allan Lu Toribio, 27; and Jimjan Bagaloyos Lasco, 39.
Cambay said Mosqueda was arrested in possession of some PHP68,000 worth of suspected shabu and PHP500 marked money in a buy-bust operation around 9 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Poblacion North in Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte.
Cambay said recovered from the possession of Rivera were some PHP40,800 worth of suspected shabu and PHP1,000 marked money when arrested by police and PDEA operatives in a buy-bust operation around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sitio Tambucho, Barangay Camino Nuevo here.
Hajjar and Baclas yielded some PHP2,000 worth of illegal drugs and PHP500 marked money when arrested around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday in Purok Mirasol, Barangay Población in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, the PRO-9 director said.
He said seized from the possession of Banua were some PHP2,000 worth of suspected shabu and PHP200 marked money when arrested in a buy-bust operation around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday in A.S. Alvarez Drive, Barangay Tetuan, this city.
He said Enderez was found in possession of some PHP4,000 worth of shabu and PHP1,000 marked money when arrested by policemen in coordination with the PDEA around 7 p.m. Tuesday in Purok 1, Barangay Sagrada Familia in Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur.
Rebollos and Dais were arrested in a drug buy-bust operation around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday in Atilano Drive, Barangay Baliwasan here, police said.
Recovered from the two were some PHP2,500 worth of suspected shabu and PHP200 marked money, according to Cambay.
Cambay said Toribio was caught in possession of some PHP2,000 worth of shabu and PHP200 marked money in a buy-busy operation around 7:40 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Camino Nuevo, this city.
Lasco, meanwhile, yielded some PHP1,500 worth of suspected shabu and PHP500 marked money when arrested by police and PDEA agents in a buy-bust operation Tuesday in Barangay Balangasan, Pagadian City, police said.
Cambay said charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the detained suspects. (PNA)
