Zamboanga city: Authorities have apprehended a newly identified high-value individual (HVI) and seized PHP13.6 million worth of suspected shabu during an anti-drug operation early Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit-9 (RDEU-9) identified the suspect by his alias, Kakah, a 29-year-old native of Jolo, Sulu. The operatives carried out the arrest during a buy-bust operation at approximately 7:18 a.m. in Zone 6, Kalye San Vicente, Barangay Ayala. The police confiscated two kilograms of suspected shabu packed in vacuum-sealed plastic bags, alongside 20 bundles of boodle money and a genuine PHP1,000 marked bill.
Kakah is currently detained at Zamboanga City Police Station 11 while investigators work on filing formal charges. Authorities are also probing potential connections between Kakah and five other suspects arrested in separate major operations on April 24 and 25. Those previous raids resulted in the seizure of PHP73.4 million worth of illegal drugs across different barangays in the city.
The RDEU-9 noted that the packaging of the confiscated drugs from all recent operations displayed identical "789" numerical markings. This discovery suggests that the illegal drug supply seized from these suspects may originate from a single person or organized group. The Naval Intelligence Security Group-Western Mindanao and other police units supported the RDEU-9 in the Barangay Ayala operation.
