By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – Authorities arrested eight individuals, including a college student and a businessman, and confiscated illegal drugs worth PHP2,469,000 in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental over the weekend.
The City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) made the largest haul, seizing 270 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP1,836,000 during a buy-bust operation at Purok Star Apple 2, Barangay 27, Bacolod City, on Saturday.
Arrested during the operation was the primary suspect, identified only as “Jenica,” 28, along with her companions: “Tipoy,” 32, of Murcia town; “Jingle,” 46; his cousin “Ter,” 39; and “Kim,” 33, all residents of Barangay Taculing, Bacolod; and “Marlon,” 39, of Barangay 23, Bacolod.
Police tagged Jenica as a high-value individual (HVI) while classifying her companions as street-level individuals (SLIs).
According to Police Lt. Richard Legada, assistant CDEU chief, Marlon had been jailed for a drug offense in April 2021.
Legada noted that the five suspects were allegedly Jenica’s customers in the illegal drug trade. Authorities are conducting background checks on the other suspects.
In Talisay City, a 33-year-old businessman from Don Salvador Benedicto town was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Matab-ang on Friday. Police seized 60 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP408,000 from the suspect.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old college student was apprehended in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City, on Sunday. Police confiscated 1.5 kilograms of suspected dried marijuana worth PHP225,000 during the operation. The student is now detained at Police Station 4.