BUSTED. Authorities conduct an inventory of the pieces of evidence as they bust an illegal drug trade in a search and seizure operation Tuesday (May 25, 2021) at the Zamboanga del Sur provincial jail. Some 80 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP544,000 were seized. (Photo courtesy of Police Regional Office-9 Public Information Office)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities seized more than a million worth of shabu after busting an illegal drug trade in a provincial jail and separately arrested two traders and a construction worker in anti-drug operations in the region, an official said Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, said police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives arrested Danilo Martinito and seized some 80 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP544,000 in a search and seizure operation around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Zamboanga del Sur provincial jail.
Authorities also seized during the operation at the provincial jail in Pagadian City a battery-operated weighing scale, electronic gadgets, and plastic containers.
Ylagan said the search was launched after Brian Sanchez, 43, the alleged cohort of Martinito, was arrested in an anti-drug operation around 10:45 p.m. Monday in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Pagadian City.
Sanchez, an online seller, yielded some PHP265,200 worth of shabu and other pieces of evidence, police said.
Meanwhile, Ylagan also announced the separate arrests of three illegal drug suspects identified as Jimmy Salani, 31; Lah Usman, 53; and Jimmy Lulu, 35.
Ylagan said Salani was arrested with some PHP74,800 and other pieces of evidence in a buy-bust around 8 p.m. Tuesday in Kapuk drive, Barangay Mampang.
Usman, a female vegetable trader, yielded some PHP343,400 worth of shabu in an anti-drug operation around 3 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Talon-Talon.
Police said Lulu, a construction worker, was arrested in a buy-bust around 7:10 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay San Jose-Cawa-Cawa.
He yielded at least 100 grams of shabu worth PHP680,000 and other pieces of evidence.
The suspects will be charged with the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2202. (PNA)
