2 suspected drug dealers nabbed in Sultan Kudarat

DAVAO CITY – Police authorities in Sultan Kudarat province arrested two persons and seized more than P300,000 worth of shabu (methamphetamine) during a buy-bust operation in Isulan town on Thursday.

Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, the Sultan Kudarat police director, said Friday that the two suspects were both residents of Cotabato City.

He said the buy-bust operation was conducted after it was confirmed that suspects John Ampuan, 22 and Ali Tahir, 49 were bringing with them a large volume of shabu.

During the operation conducted in front of a restaurant in Barangay Kalawag in Isulan town, the suspects yielded a total of 50 grams of shabu valued at P325,000, Supiter said.

BACKSTORY: 29 suspected drug dealers arrested in Sultan Kudarat

Charges were now being prepared against the suspects for violation of the anti-drugs law.

As this developed, Supiter said they were also continuing the manhunt for a drugs syndicate that eluded arrest during a raid in Kalamansig town earlier this week.

Tinti Taup, who commands 10 men, eluded arrest during Wednesday’s raid in Barangay Nalilidan, also in Kalamansig, but three of his men were arrested and authorities seized 85 sachets of shabu and assorted firearms – including a 60-caliber machine gun.

Supiter said the arrested members of the Taup group, identified as Mantingan Silongan, alias Mantingan Kamsa, Kamsa’s son, Nuwal; and another suspect, had been charged for various offenses and were under police custody.

Aside from being involved in illegal drugs, the Taup group was also allegedly involved in piracy and extortion activities targeting fishermen in the sea waters of Sultan Kudarat./rga