SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao del Norte — A married couple listed as high-value individuals (HVI) in the government’s anti-drug watchlist was arrested after being caught in a buy-bust operation in Purok Sentro, Barangay Limbo, on Monday afternoon, April 13.
The suspects were identified as Gemma Abdullah Gomez, 28, and Usop Adil Angguling, 33, both residents of the area. Police said the couple had long been under surveillance due to their alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.
The operation, conducted between 4:50 p.m. and 5:20 p.m., was led by the Sultan Kudarat Municipal Police Station (SKMPS) in coordination with multiple law enforcement units, including the Special Action Force and the Philippine Army. Authorities secured a pre-operation clearance from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) prior to the raid.
Seized from the suspects was approximately one kilogram of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱6.8 million. The illegal drugs, considered the subject of sale, were reportedly concealed inside a green-labeled Chinese tea bag—a common packaging method used in large-scale drug trafficking.
Authorities also recovered the marked buy-bust money amounting to ₱1,000 placed atop ₱500,000 worth of boodle money, five bundles of fake currency, a 9mm pistol with a magazine and three rounds of ammunition, and other items linked to illegal activities.
According to SKMPS Chief PLTCOL Esmael Madin, intelligence reports suggest that Gomez may be involved in a wider drug network, with alleged transactions extending as far as Metro Manila—raising concerns over possible links to larger drug syndicates.
All confiscated evidence has been brought to the police station for proper documentation and inventory in accordance with established chain-of-custody procedures.
The suspects are now under police custody and are set to face charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as well as Republic Act 10591 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Police said the successful operation forms part of the intensified campaign against illegal drugs in the region, as authorities continue to dismantle drug networks and apprehend high-value targets.