Cops nab 100 suspected pushers in Lucena drug den raids

LUCENA CITY – Police officers armed with search warrants raided suspected drug dens and arrested more than 100 suspected drug pushers and users in the coastal village of Dalahican here Wednesday afternoon.

“Most of the arrested suspects were included in the newly validated drug watch list. A number of them have arrest records,” Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, chief of the Quezon Police Provincial Office, said in a phone interview.

He said the operatives conducted simultaneous raids in at eight targeted drug dens in different parts of the village.

“We’ve also confiscated several plastic sachets of shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia,” Armamento said

He said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency was still conducting on-the-spot drug tests on the suspects at the village covered court.

At least 24 have been found positive for drug use as of this posting.

The police officers found some of the drug dens in alleys in urban poor communities.

The way to the dens bore instructional signs for the drug users to follow such as “Bawal magabutan dito” (Don’t transact here), “Bawal ang tambay” (No loitering).

“We’re still consolidating the records of all arrested suspects. Definitely, we will file drug charges against most of them,” Armamento said.

Drug pushers in the area have been supplying illegal drugs, particularly crystal meth (shabu) to dock workers, fishers, tricycle drivers and students.