ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/05 April) – Seven people, including a barangay official, were arrested while 50 grams of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) were confiscated in an Easter Sunday dawn raid in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur.
Joseph Ladip, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director, said two of the seven arrested suspects are known drug pushers in Barangay Boyugan West, Kumalarang.
The other five arrested suspects were drug users, Ladip added. The raid was carried out around 2:30 a.m.
Ladip identified the arrested drug pushers as Ayang Edris, 41, and Jabide Abdulah, 51, a barangay councilman of Barangay Boyugan West.
He identified the five arrested drug users as Abdul Modakil, 32; Melvin Solliano, 23; Claudio Buctuan, 38; Yosup Dacula, 35; and, Husain Edris, 41.
He said the raid was carried out following two months surveillance on the activities of Edris and Adbula as well as their five other cohorts.
However, he said the other five known drug pushers were not around when they carried out the raid with the support of the police.
He said the 50 grams of shabu the arresting team confiscated has an estimated market value of P80,000.
He added that the barangay of Boyugan West has long been known as drug haven. (MindaNews)