Police arrest Norman Castillo, 29, with P6.8 million worth of illegal drugs in his possession in a buy-bust operation conducted at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 22. | CDND Photo / Florence Baesa
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — Illegal drugs with an estimated value of P6.8 million were seized from Norman Castillo, 29, in a buy-bust operation conducted in Purok Makiangayon, Barangay Camanjac here at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 22.
The operation was conducted by the joint forces of the City Drug Enforcement Unity of Dumaguete Police Station, Provincial Intelligence Branch/Special Operations Group of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Castillo, a resident of Barangagay Calabnugan in the neighboring Sibulan town, was arrested by police with the illegal drugs placed inside red envelopes with white tape wrapped around the envelopes.
The red envelopes were placed inside a red paper bag with an estimated weight of one kilo.
The suspect said he did not know why the illegal substance were wrapped that way.
“I only received the red paper bag for delivery,” was his short response to CDN Digital when asked about details on the illegal drugs.
Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo Alarcon, chief of Dumaguete Police Station, said Castillo is a bodegero, the person directly connected to the drug lord.
Alarcon said the bodegero is assigned to deliver the illegal drug supply to “retailers” or drug pushers.
Alarcon said Castillo is part of the PDEA’s list of high value targets.
Suspect Norman Castillo (black shirt), 29, is seated next to the table where the red envelopes containing illegal drugs worth P6.8 million were laid out. | CDND PHOTO / Florence Baesa
“This is part of our series of operations. He has been monitored since August [2019] since he is the watchlist of PDEA’s HVT,” he told CDN Digital.
Alarcon said authorities seized one kilo of illegal drugs last August 2019 before the Founder’s Day celebration of Silliman University; two kilos in October 2019 around the same time as the Buglasan Festival; and another 1.5 kilos in November 2019 at the time of Dumaguete City’s fiesta celebration.
“Actually, we designed our series of operations before the major events here… Founder’s Day of Silliman University, Buglasan Festival, fiesta in Dumaguete City, Christmas and New Year because there are many people so the demand is higher,” said Alarcon.
The arrest of Castillo adds to this list. The illegal drugs seized from him has an estimated weight of one kilo.
He said they are currently investigating the source of illegal drugs.
“We are still tracing the source of the drugs… if this came from Cebu or if it was sent through a courier service,” said Alarcon.
As of this posting, police are still conducting an inventory of the seized items. / celr