By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have arrested a suspected drug trafficker and seized around PHP6.8 million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation in this city, an official reported Wednesday.
Col. Joseph Ian Lofranco, chief of the Special Operations Unit-9 of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), identified the suspect only as “Marjan,” a 32-year-old fisherman and resident of Sitio Arola, Barangay Sangali.
Lofranco said the suspect was apprehended around 10:39 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Kasanyangan.
Recovered from the operation were around 1,050 grams of suspected shabu, a bundle of boodle money with one genuine PHP500 bill on top, and the suspect’s personal items.
Marjan is currently under the custody of Zamboanga City Police Station 6 pending the filing of charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The PDEG-led operation was conducted in coordination with regional police units and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Authorities said the confiscated drugs marked the largest haul in the Zamboanga Peninsula so far this year.
Just a day earlier, on Monday, another anti-drug operation led to the arrest of a suspect identified as “Val” in Barangay Minaog, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte. Police seized about 500 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP3.4 million, along with drug paraphernalia. (PNA)
