LUCENA CITY—Police arrested a newcomer in the illegal drug trade and seized over P217,000 worth of marijuana in a buy-bust operation Sunday morning in this city.
Lt. Colonel Reynaldo Reyes, city police chief, in a belated report said a team of local policemen and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives collared around 5:50 a.m. Jake Inojosa, 22, after he sold a pack of dried marijuana leaves to an undercover cop in a transaction in Barangay Isabang.
Authorities launched the operation after a confidential informant reported Inojosa’s venture in illegal drug peddling.
Police found the suspect carrying a backpack that contained 23 sachets and one brick of dried marijuana leaves or “weeds” weighing 602.96 grams.
The confiscated illegal drugs have an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P72,355 and are worth P217,065 in the street market.
The police tagged the suspect as a “newly identified drug personality” in the drug trade.
The suspect was detained and is facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.