2 ‘big-time’ pushers nabbed, P230K ‘shabu’ seized in Zambo Norte

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Two suspected big-time drug pushers were arrested in separate anti-drug operations in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, police said Saturday.

Chief Insp. Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, identified the arrested suspects as Jason Villar alias Atabs, 25, and John Carmel Ajero alias Dodz, 25, both of Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte.

Galvez said Villar was arrested through a court-ordered search around 2:30 a.m. Saturday in a relocation site in Barangay Olingan, Dipolog City.

The raiding team confiscated PHP180,000 worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, packed in one big and one medium-sizes heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets and illegal drug paraphernalia, Galvez said.

Galvez said Ajero was also nabbed through a search warrant preceded by a buy-bust operation around 3:30 a.m. Saturday in Martinez Street, Barangay Central, Dipolog City.

Among the pieces of evidence confiscated from Ajero, she said, included PHP50,000 worth of suspected shabu packed in two medium-sizes heat-sealed plastic sachets; PhP1,000 marked money consisting of two PHP500 bills; a cellular phone; illegal drugs paraphernalia; and PHP90,000 cash believed to be proceeds of the illegal drug trade.

Both law enforcement operations were jointly carried out by police personnel and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives. (PNA)