ZAMBOANGA CITY–Authorities have arrested a high-value target (HVT) and two other suspects and seized some PHP94,800 worth of illegal drugs in anti-drug operations in Zamboanga del Norte and this city, officials said Friday.
Captain Edwin Duco, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, identified the arrested suspects as Maya Charisse Lomingit Ladista, 38; Brian Villa Barrios, 38; and, Bennajar Hassan Muammil, 35.
Duco said Ladista was arrested in a buy-bust operation around 2 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Dawo, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
Anti-narcotics agents seized from Ladista some 10 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP68,000, illegal drug paraphernalia, and PHP400 marked money, he said.
Emerson Margate, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director, said Barrios was arrested by joint PDEA and police team in a buy-bust operation around 1:51 a.m. Thursday in Barangay Potol, Dapitan City.
Margate said Barrios, described as an HVT drug personality, was found in possession of some PHP6,800 worth of suspected shabu and PHP500 marked money.
Muammil, meanwhile, was arrested in a buy-bust operation around 8:40 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Kasanyangan here, Margate said, adding the suspect yielded some three grams of suspected shabu worth PHP20,000 and the PHP400 marked money.
The suspects were detained for the filing of formal charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, officials said. (PNA)