CamSur buy-busts yield over P500,000 worth of ‘shabu’

LEGAZPI CITY – Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives on Friday confiscated some P510,000 worth of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) from four alleged drug pushers in separate anti-illegal drugs operations in Iriga City, Camarines Sur.

PDEA acting regional director Christian Frivaldo said authorities first arrested Ariel Regaspi, 40; Joan Sabanal, 28; and Alicia Mae Dice, 19, in buy-bust conducted around 2:45 p.m. inside a hotel room in Barangay San Isidro.

The suspects yielded 50 grams of suspected shabu valued at P340,000.

Subsequently, Frivaldo said Francis Manuel de Lima, alias “Bong”, 39, and resident of Barangay San Agustin, was arrested around 5:10 p.m. after being caught selling the illegal drug to an undercover agent inside an apartelle room.

PDEA operatives seized from De Lima some 25 grams of shabu placed in seven plastic sachets, worth P170,000.

According to Frivaldo, the three suspects earlier arrested were drug couriers who reportedly get their supply from De Lima, an alleged high-value target in PDEA’s drug watch list.

All suspects were detained at the PDEA detention facility in Naga City. /kga