P20-M drug supply for MassKara seized

Police operatives seize P20.5 million worth of suspected shabu in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of BCPO)

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) prevented the possible distribution of a big supply of illegal drugs during the MassKara Festival highlights this week.

This, after the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) seized 3.2 kilos of suspected shabu worth P20,536,000 in a buy-bust operation at Purok Neptune, Barangay Singcang-Airport here yesterday.

Police Captain Joven Mogato, CDEU head, said the arrest of Jummel Camento, an alleged high value individual, stemmed from complaints from some residents on his alleged link to the illegal drug trade.

Camento was arrested in 2012 for a drug offense and was released last year after the case was dismissed, Mogato said.

Mogato said they conducted a two-week monitoring and found out that Camento allegedly returned to engaging in the illegal drug trade.

Mogato said they also learned that the suspect was one of the clients of Michael Frias, who was busted by CDEU operatives with 115 grams of suspected shabu worth P14,382,000 in Barangay Vista Alegre here on August 10.

He said they are probing if Camento has a possible link with the Caunda drug group, since Frias was reported to be a member of the group.

“Possible man na basi siya nag bulos kay Frias,” he added.

He said the illegal drugs were delivered to Camento’s house on Monday night and believed to be sourced outside Western Visayas.

He said the recovered illegal drugs were to be distributed to various areas here and neighboring areas outside the city, or within Negros Occidental.

Police Colonel Noel Aliño, BCPO director, has earlier warned drug personalities that the city police force will be aggressive in their war against illegal drugs, especially in the celebration of the MassKara Festival.