DRUG HAUL. A police operative conducts an inventory of the shabu seized during a buy-bust in Barangay 27, Bacolod City on Tuesday (March 14, 2023). Suspect Mark Salmingo, 26, yielded 150 grams of the prohibited substance valued at PHP1.02 million. (Photo courtesy of PNP DEG Special Operations Unit-6)
BACOLOD CITY – Police operatives arrested two drug personalities and seized PHP1.373 million worth of shabu in separate buy-busts here in the past two days, reports of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) showed.
On Tuesday, suspect Mark Salmingo, 26, was apprehended during an operation at his residence in Rizal Extension, Purok Star Apple, Barangay 27.
Salmingo sold a medium sachet of shabu worth PHP11,500 to undercover policemen at around 8:25 a.m., the report said.
He also yielded a knot-tied, 12 medium, and 45 small sachets of the same prohibited substance, weighing 150 grams, pegged at PHP6,800 per gram, for a total value of PHP1.02 million.
Operatives also recovered the buy-bust money of PHP500 and 11 pieces of PHP1,000 boodle money.
The suspect has been endorsed to the custody of Bacolod City Police Office-Police Station 4 by personnel of the PNP DEG Special Operations Unit-Western Visayas (SOU-6), which led the operation.
The unit turned over the drug evidence to the Negros Occidental Provincial Crime Laboratory Office for examination, the report added.
On March 13, the joint team of SOU-6 and Police Station 6 arrested Ian "Patto" Alindog, 37, in a sting operation also at his residence in Grandville 2 Subdivision, Barangay Mansilingan.
At 2:50 p.m., a poseur-buyer transacted with Alindog, who sold him PHP3,500 worth of shabu, using a PHP500-bill and three pieces of PHP1,000 boodle money.
Tagged as a high-value individual, the suspect was found possessing a big knot-tied and five big sachets of shabu placed inside a blue sling bag, weighing 52 grams, with a total value of PHP353,600.
Operatives also seized a black coin purse as well as drug-use paraphernalia, including an aluminum foil as improvised tooter, a roll of aluminum foil, and three disposable lighters.
The suspects are facing charges of violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
