Police seize P2.1M drugs in Rizal, Batangas operations
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
LUCENA CITY — Buy-bust operations conducted by police in Batangas and Rizal provinces over the weekend yielded P2.1 million worth of illegal drugs and led to the arrest of four suspected drug traffickers.
On Sunday, July 6, a team of anti-narcotics agents in Batangas City apprehended a drug suspect identified as “Crisanto” at 2:12 a.m., after he sold P7,000 worth of illegal drugs to an undercover police officer in Barangay Cuta, according to a report from the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) police.
Recovered from the suspect were seven plastic sachets containing suspected shabu (crystal meth) weighing 145 grams and valued at P986,000, along with an eco-bag containing dried marijuana leaves weighing 940 grams and worth P112,800, the report added.
During a routine frisk, law enforcers found the suspect in possession of an undocumented .32-caliber pistol loaded with four bullets.
Police identified Crisanto as a high-value individual (HVI) in the illegal drug trade. An HVI refers to financiers, traffickers, manufacturers, and importers of illegal drugs, as well as leaders or members of drug syndicates.
On Saturday, another group of anti-illegal drug operatives arrested three individuals identified as “Mark,” “John,” and “Aries” in a sting operation around 1 a.m. in Barangay San Juan, Taytay, Rizal.
Police said the suspects were found in possession of five plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing 150 grams and valued at P1,020,000, a .22-caliber revolver with two bullets, and a digital weighing scale.
The report identified “Mark” as an HVI, while his two companions were classified as street-level drug pushers in the area.
Authorities also confiscated two mobile phones during the operations, which will undergo digital forensic examination to determine if they contain records of drug transactions, according to the Calabarzon police.
All suspects are currently under police custody and will face charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and for illegal possession of firearms./mcm
