Over P539,000 shabu seized from 8 drug suspects in Bicol buy-busts

LEGAZPI CITY – Anti-narcotics teams arrested eight suspected drug personalities and recovered more than P539,000 worth of shabu (crystal meth) in separate buy-bust operations in the Bicol region on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 4 and 5).

In Camarines Sur, Karl Hernandez, 36, was arrested in Barangay (village) Sto. Domingo in Nabua town at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said authorities recovered four sachets of shabu worth P6,800 and P500 as buy-bust money.

In Daet town in Camarines Norte, authorities arrested Joseph Cuyos, 36, a resident of Tayabas town in Quezon who was also tagged as a high-value target.

Calubaquib said the suspect sold 70 grams of shabu worth P476,000 to an undercover agent in Barangay Bagasbas at around 11:55 p.m. on Saturday.

Authorities also recovered the P500 buy-bust money.

In Sorsogon province, Joshua John Maldo, 22, was also arrested for selling a sachet of shabu worth P2,040 to an undercover agent in Barangay Bibincahan, East District at around 4:45 p.m.

Maldo was tagged as a newly-identified drug personality.

In Albay province, Jomarie Besinal, 29, and Norabelle Dorado, 25, were arrested in Barangay Pinagbobong in Tabaco City at around 4:16 p.m.

Confiscated were a medium sachet of shabu worth P5,848 and P500 buy-bust money.

Calubaquib said both suspects were also tagged as newly-identified street-level peddlers.

In Canaman town in Camarines Sur, Noriel Brandes, 45, was also arrested for selling two sachets of shabu worth P1,000 in Barangay Haring at around 9:40 p.m.

Brandes was identified as a street-level drug peddler.

In Baao town, Christian Boslon and James Paul Sorsona, both 22 years old, were arrested in Barangay Sagrada at around 11:50 p.m.

Authorities confiscated seven grams of shabu worth P47,600 and P500 as buy-bust money.

The suspects were facing charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

READ: P500 ‘shabu’ leads to arrest of suspect on watch list in Subic