A 33-year-old farmer tagged as a street-level individual (SLI) was arrested in a buy-bust operation Tuesday evening, 28 April, along a barangay road in Sitio Uno, Barangay Baay, Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

The suspect was identified as Chris Darwin Agulay y Duldulao, a resident of the area and a former drug surrenderee. Authorities noted that Barangay Baay had previously been declared drug-cleared.

The operation, conducted from about 6:30 p.m. to 9:05 p.m., was led by the Batac City Police Station under the supervision of Police Lt. Col. Jerome B. Wangkey, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–Ilocos Norte Provincial Office (PDEA), the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, and the Ilocos Norte Maritime Police. It was carried out with a PDEA-issued control number.

Police said the suspect was apprehended at around 7:17 p.m. after allegedly selling a sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover operative.

Recovered during the operation were about 10.05 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱68,340. This included one sachet weighing around 0.5 grams, considered the object of sale, and two additional sachets weighing a combined 9.55 grams, considered objects of possession.

Authorities also recovered a marked ₱1,000 bill used as buy-bust money and a red Mentos canister believed to have been used to store the illegal substance.

Police are preparing documents for the filing of appropriate charges against the suspect for violations of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.