AN ESTIMATED P1.5-million worth of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride was seized in a drug bust conducted by operatives of Police Station 7 and Regional Drug Enforcement Unit-Western Visayas (RDEU-6) in Purok Himaya, Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, on Wednesday afternoon, October 16.

The operation also led to the arrest of Rene Tobongbanua, 39, of Purok Himaya, Barangay Mansilingan.

Police Lieutenant Florentino Abalayan, chief of Police Station 7, said that Tobongbanua was arrested after he sold a sachet of shabu to a police undercover at 5:30 p.m.

Recovered from Tobongbaua’s possession were 52 sachets of shabu with estimated market value of P1,577,600, and the P2,000 marked money.

Abalayan said the suspect was considered a high-value target within the police officer’s area of jurisdiction.

He said the suspect was a former inmate in Muntinlupa for violation of illegal drugs. He was released in July and was under surveillance for almost a month before his arrest.

Abalayan added the suspect was detained at the station’s custodial facility and will be charged for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Meanwhile, two drug personalities were also arrested in a drug bust conducted by operatives of Police Station 5 at Montelibano Street, Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, on Wednesday evening.

Police identified the suspects as Eddie Cabatas and Allan Salcedo, both residents of Barangay Granada.

Recovered from the suspects’ possession were five sachets of shabu with estimated market value of P6,000.

The suspects are detained at the custodial facility of Police Station 5 and are facing charges for violation of RA 9165.