Philippine National Police (PNP) operatives seized P1.8 million worth of suspected “shabu” and arrested a suspect during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Boloc-boloc, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on Sunday.
The suspect, identified as Ian Rey Derama Completo, 42, a resident of Villa Pastoral in Barangay Batinguel, was arrested after he allegedly sold shabu to an undercover PNP operative.
Police Lieutenant Stephen Polinar, deputy chief of the Police Community Affairs and Development Unit (PCADU) of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), on Monday said that Completo yielded more or less 265 grams of suspected shabu valued at P1.8 million.
“The suspect is a high-value individual in the police’s list of drug personalities and has been under close surveillance for months now,” Polinar said.
“A complaint for violation of Sec. 5 (possession) and Sec. 11 (sale) of illegal drugs of Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against the suspect,” he added.
Polinar said the arrest of the drug suspect comes amid ongoing massive synchronized police operations in the province against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality.
The weekend operation was conducted jointly by the Sibulan police, the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit and the Provincial Intelligence Unit of NOPPO and in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the province, said Sibulan police chief, Police Major Ricky Dacotdacot.