A 48-year-old architect was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Palo, Leyte, after authorities allegedly recovered suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱309,400.
The operation was conducted on July 26 in Barangay Cavite by personnel of the Leyte Police Provincial Office's Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, in coordination with the Palo Municipal Police Station, the Provincial Intelligence Unit, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
According to the Leyte Police Provincial Office, the suspect was identified as a high-value individual in its anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Authorities said an undercover operative purchased a sachet of suspected shabu from the suspect during the operation.
Following the arrest, officers reportedly recovered additional sachets containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu, along with the marked buy-bust money and other items.
The seized substances, with a combined estimated value of ₱309,400, have been submitted for laboratory examination by the Regional Forensic Unit 8.
Police withheld the suspect's full identity and said criminal complaints for alleged violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared before the appropriate prosecutor's office.
The suspect remains in police custody pending the filing of charges.
The arrest adds to a series of anti-drug operations conducted across Eastern Visayas in recent months.
Data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency show that law enforcement agencies continue to focus on intelligence-driven operations targeting individuals allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, with buy-bust operations remaining among the primary enforcement strategies.
As of this writing, no statement from the suspect or legal counsel is immediately available.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews