4 drug peddlers posing as PDEA agents held

TACURONG CITY–Authorities arrested four suspected drug peddlers here, who had pretended to be agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea).

Valente Cariño, Pdea director for Central Mindanao, said also seized from Jude Dela Cruz, 35; Zenaida Raguindin, 40; Jomar Gregorio, 33; and 37-year-old Joel Paciente; during the anti-drugs raid in Barangay Griño here on Tuesday were sachets of shabu worth P250,000.

Cariño said the Pdea found out that the four suspects have been pretending to be Pdea agents to get ahead of competitors in the local shabu trade.

On Tuesday, he said the raid was conducted with the help of local police and soldiers from the Task Force Talakudong.

Charges for violation of the anti-drugs law and usurpation of authority had been filed against dela Cruz, Raguindin, Gregorio and Paciente, who were being held at the Pdea regional office in General Santos City.