Authorities in the Bangsamoro region have scored significant victories in the war against illegal drugs, apprehending two suspects and seizing a substantial quantity of shabu in coordinated operations across Lanao provinces.
Street-Level Dealer Captured in Tubod Buy-Bust
Police operatives in Lanao del Norte arrested a suspected street-level drug personality in a targeted buy-bust operation. The suspect, identified by the alias Tanoy, 34, was apprehended on Thursday, January 8, 2025, around 9:55 p.m. in Purok 1, San Antonio village, Tubod.
According to Police Colonel Leo Sua, the provincial police director, the arrest followed a transaction where Tanoy sold a heat-sealed sachet of suspected shabu worth P1,666 to an undercover police officer. A subsequent search led to the discovery of an additional five grams of suspected shabu valued at approximately P34,000.
Law enforcement agents also confiscated a mobile phone, the marked money used in the operation, various illegal drug paraphernalia, and other personal items from the suspect.
High-Value Target Apprehended in Marawi City
In a separate operation targeting a higher echelon of the drug trade, police arrested a high-value individual (HVI) in Lanao del Sur. The suspect, known by the alias Tomboy, was taken into custody earlier in the week.
Police Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), reported that Tomboy was arrested at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2025, in Basak Malutlut village, Marawi City.
The arrest was made after the suspect allegedly sold suspected shabu to a police poseur-buyer. Authorities seized 20 grams of the illegal substance, packed in four heat-sealed plastic sachets, with an estimated street value of P136,000.
Charges Filed as Campaign Intensifies
The successful operations underscore the continued vigilance of the Philippine National Police in the Bangsamoro region. Both arrested individuals are now facing serious charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The confiscated evidence and the suspects were brought to the Marawi City Police Station for proper documentation and the preparation of criminal complaints. Police officials have hailed the operations as a blow to local drug distribution networks, demonstrating their commitment to pursuing both street-level peddlers and high-value targets.
These arrests are part of the PNP's broader campaign to curb the supply of illegal drugs and dismantle syndicates operating in the region, with authorities vowing to sustain the pressure on drug personalities.
