ZAMBOANGA CITY — A suspected top-tier drug peddler was arrested in the early hours of Sunday after police operatives seized an estimated 3,000 grams of shabu worth P20.4 million during a buy-bust operation in the heart of this city.

P/Col. Diomarie S. Albarico, commander of the Special Operations Unit (SOU) in the Zamboanga Peninsula, said the operation took place around 12:15 a.m. along General Vicente Alvarez Street in Barangay Zone 4.

The suspect was identified as Nelson Hibbul Lamon, 41, a resident of Nazareth Drive, Barangay San Jose Cawa-Cawa. By day, he works as a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi) driver — but authorities say his real trade lies in illegal drugs.

“He’s been on our radar for a while now. Lamon is considered one of our high-value targets,” Albarico said.

During the operation, authorities confiscated three large zip-lock bags filled with suspected shabu wrapped in newspaper and placed inside a merchandise shopping bag. Also recovered were a genuine P1,000 bill placed atop 23 bundles of boodle money (used as marked cash), a Samsung keypad phone, and a violet eco bag used to carry the buy-bust money.

The coordinated operation involved multiple units, including SOU-9, Zamboanga City Police Station 11, the 1st Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company, the ZCPO and Regional Drug Enforcement Units, and the 904th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 9.

Following his arrest, Lamon was turned over to ZCPO Station 11 where he is now in custody. Meanwhile, all seized items are under SOU-9 for documentation and proper handling.

Police say the successful operation is part of their intensified campaign to disrupt the local drug trade — and take major players like Lamon off the streets.