'OPERATOR'. Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Caraga Region and personnel from Butuan City Police Station 2 arrest Jesus Dumaplin 72, a suspected drug den operator in a raid Sunday (July 17, 2022) in Fort Poyohon, Butuan City. Three other suspects are caught. At least four operations conducted by authorities last week in different areas of the region resulted in the confiscation of shabu worth PHP1.2 million. (Photo courtesy of PDEA-13)
BUTUAN CITY – Some PHP1.2 million worth of illegal drugs were seized in four separate operations conducted in Caraga Region from July 13 to 17, authorities said Monday.
Conducted by personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Caraga (PDEA-13) and the Police Regional Office-13, the operations led to the arrest of 11 suspects and dismantling of two drug dens in the region.
On July 17, operatives of PDEA-13 and Butuan City police raided a suspected drug den in Barangay Fort Poyohon, resulting in the arrest of Jesus Dumaplin, Joemel Consolacion, Jerick Espinosa and Valiant Kyle Almeda.
Confiscated from the drug den, which is maintained by the 72-year-old Dumaplin, were 60 grams of shabu with a street value of PHP408,000.
“The raiding team also sequestered PHP7,960 of different denominations and assorted drug paraphernalia at the drug den,” the PDEA-13 said in its report Monday.
On July 15, a drug den was also dismantled by PDEA in San Juan, Surigao City, yielding some 17 grams of shabu worth PHP120,000.
Suspects Eddie James Espinosa, Madelyn Melindo and Rocky Dawan were arrested during the operation.
On the same day, an anti-drug operation in San Agustin town, Surigao del Sur, also led to the confiscation of 30 grams of shabu worth PHP204,000. Arrested during the operation were Sonny Descalso and Philip Roy Lobo.
In Surigao del Norte, PDEA-13 agents and Surigao del Norte police officers nabbed alleged drug peddlers Jerry Vertical and Jelmar Gambing in a buy-bust conducted in the island town of Socorro, Surigao del Norte, on July 13.
Seized from the suspects were PHP428,547 worth of shabu. (PNA)
