Two suspected drug personalities arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Ilocos Norte

Two suspected drug personalities were arrested in separate anti-illegal drug operations conducted in Batac City and San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte on Sunday, 21 June, authorities said.

In Batac City, a 47-year-old unemployed man and former drug surrenderer was arrested during a buy-bust operation conducted at around 6:20 p.m. in Sitio Angkatit, Barangay Bil-loca.

The operation was led by the Batac City Police Station in coordination with personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Ilocos Norte Maritime Police Station, a media representative, and an elected barangay official.

Authorities said the suspect was caught in the act of selling a sachet containing suspected shabu to a police poseur buyer.

Seized during the operation were a sachet of suspected shabu weighing about 0.4 gram with an estimated value of ₱2,720, another sachet of suspected shabu of the same weight and value, and a plastic bag containing approximately 40 grams of dried marijuana leaves and seeds valued at ₱6,000.

Police also confiscated the marked ₱1,000 buy-bust money, a cellphone, a cigarette pack, a matchbox, several empty plastic sachets, and other drug paraphernalia.

Meanwhile, a separate buy-bust operation conducted at around 10:33 p.m. in San Nicolas led to the arrest of a 29-year-old man listed by authorities as a Street-Level Individual (SLI).

The operation was carried out by personnel of the San Nicolas Municipal Police Station, in coordination with PDEA Regional Office 1 and other law enforcement units.

According to police, the suspect was apprehended after allegedly selling a sachet containing suspected shabu to an undercover operative.

Recovered from his possession were a heat-sealed plastic sachet containing approximately one gram of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱6,800, the marked ₱1,000 buy-bust money, a brown coin purse, a lighter, and a cigarette box.

The arrested suspects were taken into police custody and are facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, or Republic Act 9165.