AUTHORITIES scored big anew in the anti-illegal drug operations, as they seized P5-million worth of illegal drugs, the third biggest haul so far in Western Mindanao, an official said Monday, December 4.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Zamboanga Peninsula Director Lyndon Aspacio said five people, including a suspected member of a drug syndicate, were nabbed in a drug bust conducted on December 2 at the parking lot of a hotel in the village of Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City.
Arrested were Sahari Sabturani alias Dante Solaiman, 37; Gasi Hadjirul, 42; Albajir Sanny; and couple Ryan and Kizzie Rajan, both 30 years old.
Aspacio said Sabturani, who was the main target of the anti-drug operation, is allegedly a member of the Kubal Drug Group.
Confiscated from the suspects were one kilogram of suspected shabu worth P5 million; P3,000 placed on top of three bundles of neatly-cut papers made to appear as P1.5 million used as drug bust; one unit Sports Utility Vehicle key; and one motorcycle also with a key.
Cases for violations of Section 26 (Attempt or Conspiracy) in relation to Section 5 (Selling of Illegal Drugs), of Article II of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed in court against the suspects.
The PDEA agents were backed by operatives of the Naval Intelligence Service Group and Task Force Zamboanga when the drug bust was carried out.
Saturday’s confiscation of P5-million shabu was the third biggest drug haul in Western Mindanao since last month.
The first drug haul was also worth P5 million. The drugs were confiscated in a drug bust on November 3 in Barangay Canelar, Zamboanga City. The second was on November 20 in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, with P1.5 million worth of drugs seized.
Western Mindanao covers the Zamboanga Peninsula provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City, as well as Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi that are part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. (VoxPop Philippines)
