LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Police arrested 18 suspected drug pushers in separate operations in Quezon province on Wednesday and Thursday, reports said Friday.
Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police provincial director, said the suspects were nabbed by anti-illegal drug units in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in buy-bust and raid operations in Lucena City and the towns of Infanta, Polillo, Gumaca, Lopez, Calauag, Candelaria, Tiaong, Lucban and Tagkawayan.
Armamento said their continuous operations against small time pushers aim to demolish the illegal drug networks in the locality.
“With every bit of information from every arrested drug pusher in the streets, we’re slowly unmasking the local leaders behind the illegal drug trade,” he said.
In Lucena, operatives collared Gerry Arnedo in a buy-bust operation in Barangay (village) Isabang around 5 p.m. Police seized eight plastic sachets containing “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) weighing nine grams worth P17,500 and a Honda Civic which the suspect has been using in his illegal drug distribution activities.
Earlier, the same police unit arrested Ronald Samante in Dalahican village and seized two sachets of shabu weighing five grams worth P9,250.
In Tiaong town, policemen arrested Ruel Villamater, allegedly a drug pusher in Barangay Luisacan. Police seized four sachets of shabu weighing 10.5 grams worth P19,000.
Earlier, operatives also arrested Boogie Macuha in the same village. He yielded four sachets of shabu worth P1,800 in a buy-bust operation.
In Infanta, policemen arrested Joel Ruzol and Jomer Torres while Sandy Lazaro was nabbed in the island town of Polillo also on Thursday after they sold a sachet of shabu to undercover policemen.
In Gumaca, policemen armed with search warrant swooped down on the house of Avelino Nielo in Barangay Progreso and confiscated two packs of shabu worth P1,000.
In nearby Lopez town, authorities also with a search warrant raided the house of Gilbert Gervacio in Barangay Magsaysay and seized three sachets of shabu worth P500.
In Calauag, policemen arrested Romano Lopez and his nephew Samuel Baco in a buy-bust operation. The suspects yielded two sachets of shabu worth P800.
In Candelaria, policemen nabbed Yolanda Alcantara, her daughter Mylen and Mark Anthony Flores after they sold shabu to a police asset in Barangay Malabanban Norte. Seized from him were illegal drugs worth P1,200. Police tagged Yolanda as the leader of a local network of drug pushers in the area.
On Wednesday, Lucban town policemen arrested Jeremy Oracion and Mark Jefferson Cosejo in a buy bust operation. The suspects yielded shabu worth P1,000.
Policeman also arrested Proceso de Guzman in Tiaong and seized three sachets of shabu worth P1,500 while in Tagkawayan town, operatives arrested Eduardo Villarva and seized P300 worth of shabu./rga
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