Some P1.8-million worth of illegal drugs seized and a high value individual (HVI) arrested by authorities during a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay Calipahan, Talavera, Nueva Ecija, on Saturday morning, 20 December 2025.

According to the police, the operation was carried out by the operatives of the Talavera Municipal Police Station’s Special Drug Enforcement Team, with support from the Police Intelligence Unit and the Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit of Nueva Ecija.

Authorities said the operation was launched after intelligence validation and in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

According to police reports, the suspect was apprehended in the act of selling suspected shabu to a police poseur-buyer. Recovered during the operation were approximately 270 grams of suspected shabu, with an estimated standard drug price of P1,836,000, along with the marked money used in the transaction.

The suspect and all seized items were brought to the Talavera Municipal Police Station for proper documentation, inventory, and the filing of appropriate criminal charges in accordance with existing laws.

In a statement, PRO3 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr. said the successful arrest underscores the region’s sustained and focused campaign against illegal drugs, particularly high-value individuals involved in the drug trade.