Negros Police confiscates P3.4M worth of illegal drugs

Police and PDEA-7 agents arrest an individual during a buy-bust operation conducted in Purok 3, Barangay Boloc-Boloc, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on Tuesday, evening, July 28, 2020. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Police from Negros Oriental, together with agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), confiscated at least P3.4 million worth of illegal drugs from two separate buy-bust operations on Tuesday evening, July 28, 2020.

The buy-bust operation was a joint operation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and PDEA-7.

The first operation happened at around 7 p.m. in Purok 3, Barangay Boloc-Boloc, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, which led to the arrest of 37-year-old Engelbert Estrella.

Confiscated from his possession were 14 sachets of suspected illegal drugs, weighing 11 grams, which has a market value of P68,000.

The operation happened at around 10:24 p.m. in Barangay Cadawinonan in Dumaguete City.

Arrested during the operation was 27-year-old Jimmy C. Tanilon, who, like Estrella, is jobless.

Half a kilo of suspected illegal drugs was taken from Tanilon’s possession, which has a market value of P3,400,000.

The items seized from a  buy-bust operation in Barangay Cadawinonan, Dumaguete City on Tuesday evening, July 28, 2020. | Contributed photo.

According to Police Major Danillo Santillan of the Negros Oriental Drug Enforcement Unit, both suspects were under surveillance for months.

“They were already under surveillance for months. But when the ECQ happened, they showed no signs of doing illegal activities. But just recently, we received a tip, showing that their shipment of illegal drugs is back,” he said.

Estrella is now detained at the Sibulan police station while Tapilon is detained at the Dumaguete City Jail.

Both suspects will be facing a case for violating sections 5 and 11 of Article II of RA 9165, which is the possession and selling of illegal drugs. /bmjo