BACOLOD CITY — About 593.5 grams of “shabu” with an estimated value of PHP6.825 million were seized by operatives of San Carlos City Police Station in Negros Occidental in a buy-bust before midnight on Tuesday.
Suspect Christian Unabia, 29, a “habal-habal” driver, was arrested during the operation around 11:30 p.m. at Sitio Juan-ong, Barangay Palampas of the northern Negros city.
The illegal drugs were confiscated from Unabia’s possession along with PHP24,960 in cash and drug paraphernalia as well as the PHP30,000 marked money.
The operation was conducted by the station’s anti-drug team led by officer-in-charge Supt. D’ Artagnan Katalbas Jr., with personnel of 605th Maneuver Company and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-6.
Unabia, detained at the police station, is facing charges for violation of Section 5 (sale of dangerous drugs) and Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, lauded the successful anti-drug operation of San Carlos City Police Station.
“This accomplishment is a simple way of showing gratitude to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for our salary increase,” Castil said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s major drug haul in San Carlos City followed the operation last January 7 which yielded PHP150,000 in illegal drugs and resulted to the arrest of 14 persons in buy-bust conduct by joint operatives in Barangay 6.
A joint team of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, San Carlos City Police Station, and Regional Mobile Force Battalion-6 then swooped down on two houses reportedly being used as drug dens.
In August last year, the San Carlos police also arrested two local residents who yielded PHP2.46 million in shabu during a buy-bust operation.
The suspects were identified as Hanjie Alquiza, 36, of Barangay Punao, and Charlemagne Mavida, 24, of Caballero Extension, Barangay 2, who were charged before the City Prosecutor’s Office, according to the police. (PNA)
