Marawi City, Lanao del Sur — May 28, 2025 — In a continued push against the illegal drug trade, police authorities in Lanao del Sur scored a significant breakthrough with the arrest of two suspected drug peddlers during a joint operation in Barangay Bangin, Marawi City.
The successful anti-drug operation, conducted at around 7:10 PM on May 26, was carried out by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) and Alert Team Alpha of the Marawi City Police Station.
Provincial Director of the Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office (LDSPPO), PCOL Robert S. Daculan, commended the operatives involved for their diligence and coordination, citing the effort as another step forward in the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) campaign against illegal drugs.
Confiscated during the operation were the following items:
- One heat-sealed transparent plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, weighing approximately 4.9 grams with an estimated street value of ₱33,320.
- Forty-five sachets of suspected shabu, weighing around 2.1 grams (estimated street value: ₱14,280).
- Nine more sachets containing about 0.42 grams of suspected shabu (valued at ₱2,865).
- Buy-bust money, including one genuine ₱500 bill and five photocopied ₱1,000 bills.
- Drug paraphernalia such as a green Xylitol candy tube, a gray coin pouch, and a blue-striped coin pouch.
Both suspects, who are residents of Barangay Bangin, were immediately apprised of their constitutional rights in a dialect they clearly understood. The inventory of seized evidence was conducted in the presence of barangay officials and a representative from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to ensure transparency and accountability.
The arrested individuals and confiscated items have been turned over to the Marawi City Police Station for documentation. The evidence has also been submitted to the Lanao del Sur Forensic Unit for laboratory examination and drug testing.
“This operation is a testament to the unwavering commitment of the Lanao del Sur Police to rid our communities of illegal drugs,” said PCOL Daculan. “We remain steadfast in protecting the public and ensuring a safer, drug-free Lanao del Sur.”
Investigations are ongoing as authorities build a case against the suspects.