PDEA nabs ‘notorious drug dealers’

TWO notorious drug dealers ranked number 1 and 2 in the priority target list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Cagayan de Oro City were arrested in separate buy-bust operations Thursday evening.

Two other suspects were also arrested by anti-narcotics agents who confiscated almost P400,000 worth of shabu.

Arrested were Liza Doll, alias Mahal Cortez, and her brother John Rey, Anthony Reyes and Arnel Magot.

PDEA Deputy Regional Director Rayford Yap said Mahal and her brother were nabbed after anti-narcotics agents rounded up Reyes in a buy-bust operation around 3:20 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Iponan.

“After his arrest, Reyes coordinated with PDEA and said Cortez is his source of illegal drugs,” Yap said.

Seized from Reyes were three medium sizes of sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride popularly known as shabu worth P90,000.

Around 6 p.m., Cortez was arrested in Upper Balulang after he delivered some 10 grams of shabu to anti-narcotics agents following a transaction.

After further interrogation by PDEA agents, Cortez said his source of illegal drugs is his sister Mahal.

PDEA agents conducted another buy-bust operation around 6:30 p.m. at Zone 4, Barangay Bayabas that resulted in the arrest of Mahal and the confiscation of at least 50 grams of shabu worth more than P300,000.

“Naka-repack na ang shabu in different sizes ug ubay-ubay gyud ang na-recover sa iyang possession,” said Yap.

Using the mobile phone of Mahal, anti-narcotics agents were able to arrest Magot in Barangay Puntod.

It was learned that Magot is a suspected drug pusher in the area who got his illegal drugs from Mahal. He was arrested after he delivered some 1.9 grams of shabu worth P12,000 to undercover PDEA agents.

PDEA also arrested Mahal’s 17-year-old son after he attempted to grab the firearms of one of the agents.

“Nakurat man lang ko adto nga time mao nga ilogon unta nako ang pusil,” he told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Mahal and her brother refused to be interviewed when Sun.Star tried to get their statement.

Yap said they consider Mahal as the number 1 in the priority target list in the city based on her illegal drug activity.

He said in a month, Mahal is capable of disposing between 500 grams to one kilo worth more than P1 million.

The four suspected drug dealers are now temporarily detained at the detention facility of PDEA pending the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Magot and Cortez will be facing charges of Section 5 (delivery of illegal drugs), while Reyes and Mahal are facing charges of Section 5 and 11 (possession of dangerous drugs).