TACLOBAN CITY — A 20-year-old fish vendor was arrested after police allegedly seized nearly P4,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Isabel, Leyte on the night of June 30.
Police identified the suspect only by his aliases “Dean” and “Dyn Mark,” a resident of Barangay Marvel of said town.
The operation was carried out at around 11:04 p.m. by operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the Isabel Municipal Police Station in Barangay Marvel.
Lt. Sergio Llaneta, officer-in-charge of the Isabel Municipal Police Station, said an undercover operative was able to purchase one medium-sized sachet containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu for P500.
A subsequent body search conducted in the presence of the required witnesses led to the recovery of a brown coin purse containing four more sachets of suspected shabu.
Police said the confiscated illegal drugs had a combined weight of 0.588 grams and an estimated street value of P3,998.40 based on the Dangerous Drugs Board valuation. Authorities also recovered the marked P500 bill used in the operation.
The suspect was informed of the reason for his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.
Charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Ormoc City.
The suspect is currently being held at the detention facility of the Isabel Municipal Police Station pending further legal proceedings.
(ROBERT DEJON)
