MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur — Police operatives arrested a high-value drug suspect and confiscated an estimated ₱884,000 worth of suspected shabu during a pre-dawn buy-bust operation near a major university campus on April 2, 2026.
Personnel of the Marawi City Police Station (CPS) carried out the operation at around 1:53 a.m. within the vicinity of Mindanao State University (MSU) Marawi Main Campus in Barangay Dimalna. The suspect, identified only by the alias “Abdul,” is a resident of Barangay Buadi Parba Bito in the same city.
Authorities said the arrest followed the successful execution of a planned anti-drug operation under Pre-Operation No. 15-00-05012026-005. The illegal drug transaction took place inside a greenish Toyota Avanza parked beside the campus library building, where the suspect dealt with an undercover police operative acting as a poseur-buyer.
Recovered from the suspect were two packages of suspected shabu with a combined weight of approximately 131 grams. These included a self-knotted transparent plastic bag containing around 101.3 grams valued at ₱688,840, which served as the buy-bust item, and a heat-sealed sachet containing about 29.7 grams with an estimated value of ₱201,960. Police also seized the marked buy-bust money used in the operation and the Toyota Avanza believed to have been used in the illegal transaction.
The suspect was immediately informed of his constitutional rights and is currently under the custody of Marawi CPS for documentation and detention. Authorities are preparing charges against him for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Provincial Director PCOL Caezar P. Cabuhat of the Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office lauded the operating team for the successful operation, citing their vigilance and sustained efforts in curbing the proliferation of illegal drugs in the province.
The operation forms part of the continuing intensified campaign of law enforcement agencies against illegal drugs, particularly targeting high-value individuals involved in narcotics distribution, as authorities seek to maintain peace and order in Marawi City and nearby communities.