PDEA agents catch drug leader

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Davao Region netted a big catch in one of the three individuals it arrested during an anti-drug operation in Davao Oriental last February 8.

PDEA Davao Director Emerson Rosales said one the suspects, Sabdani Salahuddin Jalali, is a leader of the Jalali drugs syndicate who was listed No. 7 in their drug personality watchlist in Davao.

Aside from Salahuddin, also arrested when PDEA agents implemented search warrants at their house in Purok 2, Barangay Tagabebe, Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental were his wife Inseh Ruana Aminulla Jalali and Ledener Pandaog Siraji.

"Itong tatlong suspek natin, nasa listahan na ito ng Pdea. Matagal na natin itong minanmanan at nitong huli, nakuha na talaga natin. Ang pagkahuli natin sa tatlo ay isang malaking bagay na nabawasan ang kaso sa druga sa Davao Oriental (These three suspects are in the list of PDEA. We have long been conducting surveillance and we have finally caught them. The arrest of the three suspects is a big thing since the drug cases in the Davao Oriental have decreased)," Rosales told Sun.Star Superbalita.

"The arrested suspects have a huge market in Davao Oriental and they were already set to repack the shabu and dissipate it to the different places in the province. We even confiscated repackaging material from the suspects," Rosales added in a separate interview with Sun.Star Davao.

The suspects' residences, he said, were believed to be drop-off points for illegal drugs coming from Cotabato City. The drugs were allegedly delivered by sea.

Jalali, his wife and Siraji were nabbed after PDEA, along with the Davao Oriental Criminal Investigation and Detection Team, Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit Special Action Force and the Davao Oriental Provincial Police Office, implemented search warrants issued by Emilio Dayanghirang of Branch 32 of the Regional Trial Court 11.

Recovered from the suspects were 37 plastic sachet containing shabu weighing 94.6521 grams with estimated value of P600,000, one unit Taurus 9mm pistol with serial number TSI16843 with one magazine, one unit Para Ordnance caliber 45 pistol with serial number 745899 and three magazines, 11 9mm live ammos, 79 caliber .45 ammos and cash worth P4,310.

The suspects are now facing charges for violations of the Republic Act (RA) 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 8294 otherwise known as the act amending the provisions of the Presidential Decree 1866 or the illegal possession of firearms. (Ruji Peter S. Abat)