ZAMBOANGA CITY–Police arrested eight people, including a telephone firm employee, and seized some PHP272,400 worth of illegal drugs in separate anti-drug operations around Zamboanga region.
Chief Supt. Billy Beltran, Police Regional Office 9 (Zamboanga) director, said the arrests and confiscation of illegal drugs are part of the government’s continuing effort to strengthen the war against illegal drugs.
Arrested were Ajid Oron, 21; Ezekiel Erasga, 46; Prince Rovill Naong, 22; Webster Denoyo, 25; Abdurajan Nawadi, 24; Al-dewan Tayah, 38; Esil Amenol, 41; and Alih Tarawi, 44.
Beltran said Oron was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sta. Catalina here at about 12:45 a.m. Thursday. Seized from him were suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as “shabu”, worth PHP2,000 and PHP300 in marked money consisting of three PHP100 bills.
Erasga, who yielded PHP20,400 worth of shabu packed in six large, one medium-sized and four small sachets, was arrested in Barangay San Roque here at about 8 p.m. Wednesday. Also found in his possession were PHP200 in marked money and different illegal drug paraphernalia.
Beltran said Naong, a telephone company employee, was arrested in Barangay Baybay, Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte at about 9:35 p.m. Wednesday. Seized from him were PHP600 in marked money–one PHP200, three PHP100 and five of PHP20 bills — and two small heat-sealed plastic sachets of shabu, as well as illegal drug paraphernalia.
Denoyo, a newly-identified street-level pusher, yielded three small plastic sachets of shabu and PHP500 in marked money when arrested in Purok Young Dreamers, Barangay Taway, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Nawadi, Tayah and Amenol, all seaweed farmers, yielded PHP250,000 worth of shabu packed in five big and one small plastic sachets, when arrested in a buy-bust operation along La Purisima St., Barangay Zone III here at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Also seized from their possession were PHP400 marked money, consisting of two PHP200 bills.
Tarawi was caught with three plastic sachets of suspected shabu in a checkpoint in Barangay Nala, Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte at about 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Beltran said Tarawi is listed by the Sibuco town police as Top 3 priority target drug personality.
He said the suspects have been detained and appropriate charges have been filed against them. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
