By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – Police arrested six persons, including an alleged notorious robber, in three separate buy-bust operations in Negros Occidental, resulting in the seizure of illegal drugs worth a total of ₱294,200 on Wednesday and Thursday.
In Kabankalan City, two brothers aged 22 and 27, along with their 45-year-old companion, were apprehended in a relocation site in Barangay 9 on Wednesday, leading to the confiscation of suspected shabu worth ₱122,400.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Indiape Jr., city police chief, said the 27-year-old suspect was the main target of the operation due to his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade, based on continuous monitoring.
Indiape added that the suspect was previously arrested for a drug offense in Ilog town and is currently on probation.
Recovered from them were ₱500 marked money and an improvised tooter.
In Himamaylan City, a 29-year-old truck driver from Barangay 2-Poblacion and a 40-year-old tricycle driver from Barangay Binicuil, Kabankalan City, were arrested in Barangay 2-Poblacion on Wednesday night.
Police seized from them ₱500 marked money, 15 grams of suspected shabu worth ₱102,000, and a digital weighing scale.
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Grande, city police chief, said the truck driver was subjected to a drug bust following recent reports of his alleged illegal activity.
Grande noted that the truck driver had been monitored for about two weeks. He also mentioned that the tricycle driver, who was in the area, was the alleged drug supplier to the younger suspect.
A homemade shotgun with ammunition was also recovered from the tricycle driver.
Meanwhile, an alleged notorious robber was arrested in a drug bust in Barangay Villamonte on Thursday.
Police seized 10 grams of suspected shabu worth ₱68,000, 15 grams of suspected dried marijuana leaves worth ₱1,800, and ₱500 marked money.
According to the police, the 36-year-old suspect was imprisoned and convicted at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City for a drug offense.
He was released in April this year. In the same month, he was again arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition but managed to post bail for provisional liberty.
