Surigao City — Three high-value drug suspects were arrested in a joint buy-bust operation conducted by police authorities before dawn on Thursday, September 18, in Purok-1, Barangay Canlanipa, Surigao City.
The Surigao City Police Station’s Drug Enforcement Unit, backed by operatives from the 1st Surigao del Norte Provincial Mobile Force Company, carried out the operation at around 2:50 a.m. leading to the arrest of the suspects — a 47-year-old married man, a 35-year-old unemployed single man, and alias “Kabaw,” 37, a tricycle driver. All are residents of Surigao City.
Police Provincial Director Col. Warren E. Dablo confirmed that two of the suspects had previously served jail time for similar offenses. The 47-year-old suspect was arrested in 2014 for drug-related charges, while “Kabaw” was nabbed in 2016. Both were only released this year after serving their sentences.
Recovered from the suspects were 11 plastic sachets and knot-tied transparent cellophane containing suspected shabu weighing about 500 grams, with an estimated value of ₱3.4 million. Authorities also seized three genuine ₱1,000 marked bills, twelve ₱1,000 boodle money, two cellphones, a coin purse, a sling bag, and an electronic weighing scale.
The arrested men are facing charges for violating Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, specifically for the sale and possession of illegal drugs.
“This is not just an accomplishment; it’s a clear signal that we are relentlessly pursuing the source of these poisons. We will continue to dismantle this drug trade, piece by piece, until every last dealer is brought to justice and our community is safe,” Dablo said in a statement.
Police stressed that the operation was intelligence-driven and conducted in an orderly manner, witnessed by a Barangay Kagawad of Canlanipa, representatives of the Department of Justice, and members of the media.
The suspects and confiscated items are now under the custody of the Surigao City Police Station for proper disposition.