BUSTED. Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) conduct inventory on the pieces of evidence seized in one of the three drug dens dismantled in simultaneous anti-drug operations on Thursday (June 3, 2021) in Sta. Catalina, tagged as the top drug hotspot in Zamboanga City. The operations were done with the help of the police. (Photo lifted from the PDEA-9 Facebook page)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) backed by policemen dismantled three drug dens, arrested seven suspects, and seized some PHP319,600 worth of illegal drugs in simultaneous operations in a barangay here, a top PDEA official said Saturday.
Emerson Margate, PDEA regional director, identified the alleged drug den maintainers as Richard Mustafa also known as Richard Mostasa; Chesca Cariño; and, Arnel Varona. All the drug dens were in Sta. Catalina, tagged as the top drug hotspot.
Margate named the other suspects as Leonardo Baguio, Gary Escalicas, Manuelito Cañete, and Christopher Mustafa, all arrested in the drug den owned by Mustafa.
Margate said the joint team of PDEA and policemen, armed with search warrants, simultaneously swooped down on the three drug dens and arrested the suspects around 3 p.m. Thursday.
He said seized from Mustafa’s drug den were some 20 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP136,000 and drug paraphernalia.
He said the team recovered from Cariño’s drug den some 16 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP108,800 while from that of Varona were 11 grams with an estimated value of PH74,800 and drug paraphernalia.
The simultaneous anti-drug operations were launched following days of surveillance on the existence of the drug dens.
The suspects will be charged with the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
