Suspected drug dealer nabbed in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY—Police on Tuesday (January 30) arrested a suspected drug dealer in Rosales town in Pangasinan province during a raid which uncovered 18 sachets of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), two guns and several bullets at his house, a belated police report says.

Domingo Ortega, 36, was found hiding in the ceiling when policemen, armed with a search warrant, swooped on his house at 7:15 a.m. in Barangay (village) Coliling in Rosales, according to Chief Inspector Ador Tayag, Rosales police chief.

Ortega had been under police surveillance for the last two months.

Also arrested were Ortega’s brothers, Lorence, 30, and Sandy, 24, who are both from San Fernando City in Pampanga province, and visitors Hemlar Paulino, 24, a tattoo artist from Angeles City, and Jemar Aradanas, 19, of Rosales. The police also detained house helper Fernando Mallare, 45.

Seized from Ortega’s house during the raid were a 9-millimeter pistol and a .45-caliber handgun.

Police also found a pouch containing transparent plastic sachets used for repacking shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), aluminum foil, scissors and a digital weighing scale.

Another bag contained wads of cash amounting to P197,000 and bank deposit slips and remittance receipts.

Tayag said appropriate charges were being prepared against Ortega.