GENERAL SANTOS CITY–Police said they arrested two “newly-identified” drug pushers allegedly connected to a major drug group during a buy-bust operation on Thursday in a village in Koronadal City.
Supt. Benjiel Kirby Bajo, Koronadal City police chief, identified the suspects as Joseph Roa Trinidad alias “Yok” of Block 3, Mabini Extension in Barangay Zone-IV, and Jave Tupas Villar alias “Jeboy” of Purok Yellow Bell in Barangay Sta. Cruz.
Bajo said the suspects did not resist when they were nabbed around noon at a portion of Purok Yellow Bell after “conspiring” to sell a sachet of suspected metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, worth P1,000, to a police officer posing as poseur-buyer.
Trinidad and Villar allegedly yielded 30 more plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, with an estimated value of P40,000, and an unlicensed caliber .45 handgun with six live bullets.
Bajo said the suspects were not included on their target list but their names came up in recent intelligence operations.
He said the suspects were both subjected to a series of surveillance operations and their involvement in the illegal drug trade was eventually confirmed.
Citing the volume of the recovered shabu, he said the suspects appear to be involved in large-scale shabu distribution in the area.
“We have expanded our investigation into their activities, especially their engagements with a local drug group,” Bajo said.
The police official said they were also looking into the possible involvement of the suspects in other criminal activities, adding that Trinidad was a former convict and has been jailed in this city for robbery.
Bajo said they submitted the recovered pieces of evidence to the regional crime laboratory for forensic examination.
The suspects, who are currently detained at the Koronadal City police station lockup, will be charged with violation of Sections 5 and 11 or selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Republic Act 10591, or Illegal possessions of firearms and ammunition. (Alejandro Saludo/PNA)
