Laguna Drug Suspect Busted, P6.8 Million Shabu Seized

LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Authorities arrested an alleged high-value drug suspect who worked as a street food vendor and seized an estimated P6.8 million worth of shabu (crystal meth) during a buy-bust operation in Biñan City, Laguna, on Friday. In a belated report, the Police Regional Office 4A (PRO-4A) said personnel from its Drug Enforcement Unit, in coordination with agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 4A, arrested the suspect, identified only by the alias “Renan,” after he allegedly sold shabu to an undercover officer in Barangay San Antonio at around 6:10 a.m. Authorities said the suspect, who reportedly earns a living as a vendor of “pares” (braised beef stew), was found in possession of a plastic sachet containing about 1,000 grams of suspected shabu. Police Brig. Gen. Dominic Baccay, acting regional director of PRO-4A, commended the operating teams for the successful operation. “This successful operation sends a clear message that no one involved in the illegal drug trade is beyond the reach of the law,” Baccay said. He added that PRO-4A would continue to intensify intelligence-driven and inter-agency operations to identify and arrest individuals involved in the illegal drug trade. “We will sustain and further strengthen our operations to ensure that every community in Calabarzon remains safe,” Baccay said. The suspect remains in police custody and is facing a formal complaint for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. /gsg