A 45-year-old painter was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit (PPDEU) in Barangay Parado, Dingras, on Thursday morning, 19 February 2026.

The suspect was identified as Melvin Castro y Santiago, also known as “Bong Castro,” a married, self-employed painter and resident of Barangay Parado.

Authorities said joint operatives from the PPDEU, Provincial Intelligence Unit, Regional Intelligence Division, 101st Regional Mobile Force Battalion 1 and Dingras Municipal Police Station carried out the operation from 9:46 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Castro was allegedly caught selling one heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance to a police poseur-buyer.

Seized from the suspect were approximately two grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P13,600. The illegal drugs were contained in five heat-sealed plastic sachets, including one sold during the operation and four recovered from his possession.

Police also confiscated one genuine P1,000 bill and five fake P1,000 bills used as buy-bust money, a rolled aluminum foil strip, a green coin purse and a white eyeglass case.

Castro is now under police custody pending the filing of appropriate charges.