BUSTED. Anti-narcotics agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao conduct an inventory of the items seized during a sting operation in Maguindanao as the two arrested persons (in handcuffs) watch. Anti-narcotics agents say they seized a total of 50 grams of shabu with a street value of PHP340,000 during the buy-bust in the Maguindanao town of Sultan Kudarat on Wednesday (August 5, 2020). (Photo courtesy of PDEA-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – Acting on a tipoff, anti-narcotics agents backed by police and Philippine Marines arrested an alleged drug peddler and a barangay chairman for allegedly preventing authorities from nabbing the suspect following a drug buy-bust in the Maguindanao town of Sultan Kudarat early Wednesday.
Director Juvenal Azurin of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) identified the alleged drug peddler as Nasraila Ugan, who yielded 50 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP340,000.
Azurin said Ugan was nabbed after she sold to a poseur-buyer some 18 grams of alleged shabu items worth PHP120,000 during an entrapment at 5 a.m. in Barangay Kabuntalan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.
Her husband, Ali Ugan, eluded arrest during the joint operation of the PDEA-BARMM, Sultan Kudarat municipal police, the Police Maritime Group, and 2nd Marine Battalion Landing Team personnel.
“We are in pursuit of the husband,” Azurin told reporters here.
Badrudin Datumanong Pinguiaman, the chairperson of Barangay Kabuntalan, was also arrested for illegal possession of firearms and for preventing the arrest of Ugan.
Azurin said Pinguiaman will be charged with obstruction of justice and possession of unlicensed firearms while Ugan will be charged with possession of illegal drugs.
PDEA agents also seized from Ugan‘s possession 33 grams of shabu worth PHP224,400, and the “boodle" or fake money used by authorities during the operation worth PHP120,000.
Pinguiaman and Agan were detained at the PDEA detention facility here. (PNA)
