P757,000 worth of ‘shabu’ seized in five buy-busts

A woman was arrested by police in a drug bust at Barangay 2, Silay City, Negros Occidental last Thursday. An estimated P330,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized from her possession. (Photo courtesy of Silay City Police Station)

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An estimated P757,000 worth of suspected shabu hauls were seized here and in Negros Occidental in the past two days.

The biggest seizure was in Silay City, amounting to P330,000. The buy-bust operation was conducted at Barangay 2 last August 29 which led to the apprehension of Lirio Patricio, 30, of Barangay Mambulac.

Patricio is a target-listed drug personality, police records indicated.

Police recovered from her seven sachets of suspected shabu weighing 22 grams, drug paraphernalia, the P500 marked money, and P5,500 boodle money.

Also, operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) and Police Station 7 arrested Noel Baldomar, 59, of Barangay Mansilingan in a drug bust at Barangay Alijis here last Thursday.

Baldomar yielded four sachets of suspected shabu worth P180,000, drug paraphernalia, and P10,500 cash including the marked money. He is detained at the said police station.

A couple was also arrested in a drug bust at Barangay 16 here on the same day which resulted in the recovery of nine sachets of suspected shabu worth P15,000, the P200 marked money, an improvised tooter, and a lighter.

Police Major Jovil Sedel, head of Police Station 1, identified the suspects as high value target Lazaro Caceres, 36, and his partner Jeny Arellano, 36. Both suspects are detained at the said police station.

Early the following day, the same police station also conducted a separate operation at Barangay 36 here, and arrested Mukzzhin Tampi, 31, of Barangay 16.

Sedel said Tampi was born in Mindanao but was raised here by his family. He is also a high value target.

Authorities seized from him 17 sachets of suspected shabu worth P70,000, the P300 marked money, and improvised tooter, and a lighter. He is also detained at the said police station.

Also arrested last Friday were Argie Tacluyan, 31, and Jean Paul Relatos, 28, both residents of Barangay Bata here after they allegedly yielded five sachets of suspected shabu worth P162,000, the P500 marked money, weighing scale, and P300 cash. Both suspects are detained at Police Station 3.