BUTUAN CITY — Police arrested a 30-year-old suspected drug dealer and confiscated more than ₱712,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Butuan City on Sunday, November 8.
The Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13) reported that operatives seized approximately 104.75 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, with an estimated standard drug price of ₱712,300.
The suspect, identified only by the alias “Cyclone,” is a 30-year-old resident of Purok 7, Barangay Bading, Butuan City. Police classified him as a Street-Level Individual (SLI) in the illegal drug trade.
The arrest took place in Purok 1, Barangay Ong Yiu, during an entrapment operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Unit of Butuan City Police Station 2 in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s Agusan del Norte Police Office (PDEA-ADN).
Authorities recovered several sealed and unsealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, along with a ₱1,000 bill used as marked money during the operation. A black sling bag and a cellular phone were also confiscated.
PRO-13 Director Police Brigadier General Rolindo M. Suguilon described the operation as another significant development in the region’s campaign against illegal drugs, emphasizing the importance of identifying and apprehending individuals operating at the street level of the drug trade.
He said the seizure demonstrated the intensified efforts of police personnel to track down suspected drug personalities and disrupt the distribution of illegal substances in communities.
Suguilon also commended the operating personnel for the successful operation.
The latest arrest adds to the ongoing anti-drug enforcement efforts in the Caraga region, where police continue to target individuals suspected of distributing illegal drugs at the community level.
The suspect and confiscated evidence are expected to undergo the appropriate legal and investigative procedures. The allegations against the arrested individual remain subject to judicial determination.