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