Bacolod city: The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have successfully seized several million worth of illegal drugs and cigarettes in a series of operations conducted across Negros Occidental over the past three days.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Police Regional Office - Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) reported that police personnel recovered smuggled cigarettes valued at PHP2.3 million in Barangay 5, San Carlos City on May 13. The operation led to the seizure of five boxes of New Mega Menthol cigarettes and 18 boxes of Red Bosqu cigarettes, each containing 100 reams per box. All recovered items were documented on-site and transported to San Carlos Component City Police Station for safekeeping. The cigarettes will be referred to the Bureau of Internal Revenue for verification and disposition.
In another significant operation in Bago City on May 12, a joint police inspection uncovered an illegal cigarette manufacturing operation at a warehouse in Purok Pulang Duta, Barangay Lag-asan. A caretaker named "Jo," 29, from Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City, was arrested, while his two employers managed to flee. The team discovered assorted raw materials and packaging supplies used in cigarette manufacturing, alongside two vehicles, a Ford Ranger 4x2 pick-up truck and an Isuzu wing van. The PRO-NIR did not disclose the value of the seized items.
Meanwhile, in Victorias City, police operatives conducted a buy-bust operation in Barangay 5 on May 11, resulting in the seizure of suspected shabu valued at PHP428,400. Alias Jay, 38, was arrested after selling PHP500 worth of suspected shabu to an undercover police operative, yielding 63 grams of the prohibited substance.
Additionally, PDEA-NIR agents arrested a high-value target in this city's Barangay 10 on May 12. Alias Nonoy, 23, was apprehended with approximately 500 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP3.4 million. He is currently detained at Bacolod City Police Station 2 and faces charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the City Prosecutor's Office.
On the same day, four suspects were arrested in a drug den at Purok Fire, Barangay 8. The PDEA-NIR report identified the suspects as 'Patrick,' 36; 'Janice,' 36; 'Larry,' 37, and 'Leosan,' 30. Agents confiscated 12 sachets of suspected shabu valued at PHP102,000.
