A 39-year-old man was arrested early Friday for allegedly selling pistols with defaced serial numbers in a buy-bust operation along Lawton Avenue, Barangay South Cembo.

The suspect, known by the alias “Mark,” was apprehended at around 12:30 AM on 13 June by operatives from the Southern Police District - District Special Operations Unit (DSOU).

Authorities recovered from the suspect a belt bag containing two .45 caliber pistols with erased markings, two magazines, four live rounds, a mobile phone, his driver’s license, and the P1,000 marked money used in the operation.

Police said the operation stemmed from a tip-off alleging that the suspect had been peddling illegal firearms in the Makati and Taguig areas. Investigators are now looking into the possibility that he is part of a larger firearms distribution network operating across Metro Manila.

“Mark” is facing charges for illegal possession and sale of firearms under Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. He was taken to the DSOU headquarters for processing and the filing of formal complaints.