DISMANTLED. Anti-narcotic agents raid Wednesday (April 19, 2023) a suspected drug den at the back of a store in Barangay Salimbao, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, resulting in the arrest of a police officer and seven others. In a separate operation on the same day, PDEA also nabbed five suspects inside a suspected drug den in the same town. (Photo courtesy of PDEA-BARMM)
SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao del Norte – A police officer and 12 others were arrested during separate anti-drug operations in this town, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) said Thursday.
Asnawi Salik, PDEA-Maguindanao operations officer, said two drug dens were also dismantled during the series of operations Wednesday.
In one of the operations, Salik said PDEA operatives caught Master Sgt. Sarip Mastura of the BARMM police force and seven other suspects during a 5 p.m. buy-bust at a drug den in Barangay Salimbao here.
Salik identified those arrested with Mastura as Kasumi Quindapa, Esmael Macalbas, Sam Sandakan, Michael Compaña, Jamil Macalimbol and Tato Madin.
“One of the suspects managed to elude arrest,” Salik said in a statement, referring to a certain Saheiden Utto who managed to escape after sensing the approaching lawmen.
Seized from them were an undetermined amount of suspected shabu, a Glock pistol with ammunition, and shabu paraphernalia.
Some four hours later, PDEA agents also arrested five suspects inside a suspected drug den in Barangay Tamontaka of the same town.
One of those arrested was Juliet Torres Gori, the alleged operator of the drug den that also catered illegal gambling activities.
Salik said the buy-bust operation in Barangay Tamontaka was conducted after a weeklong surveillance.
Agents seized “shabu” drug items amounting to PHP87,000 from Gori’s group.
All arrested suspects are currently detained at the PDEA-BARMM detention facility in Cotabato City pending the filing of appropriate charges against them for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
