A SUSPECTED drug pusher was arrested recently by local authorities in Masantol town amid its municipal-wide drug-cleared status.

The suspect, who was only identified with his alias "Pala Maragul," was arrested in a drug bust launched by the Station Drug Enforcement Unit in Barangay San Isidro Matua.

The town's chief of police, Major Romwald Basa, said the suspect is included in the drug watchlist due to his alleged involvement in peddling illegal narcotics.

Basa clarified, however, that the drug-cleared status of the town is not lifted amid the arrest of a suspected drug personality, as he was collared within the 30-day grace period.

"If a drug personality is reported in a drug-cleared municipality, it is given 30 days to arrest him before the status is lifted. In our case, our SDEU wasted no time in locating alias Pala Maragul and immediately launched the buy-bust operation thereafter," he said.

Confiscated from the suspect was a sachet of substance believed to be shabu and the P500 marked money.