JOINT police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) team have dismantled a drug den and arrested five people in an anti-drug operation in Zamboanga del Norte, the police said Wednesday, December 4.

The police identified the arrested suspects as follows: Greatchen Loquillano, 33; Mary Jane Lapas, 33; Mariz Padilla, 33; Reggie Pardello, 30; and Cristine Adorna, 30.

The police said the suspects were arrested in a drug bust around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday in a drug den at Purok 2 in Napilan Village, Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte. This resulted into the dismantling of the drug den.

A cohort of the suspects, Bocary Macapato, Jr., eluded arrest.

Confiscated from them were suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) packed in five big and two small sizes of heat-sealed plastic sachets, P1,000 marked money, and several illegal drug paraphernalia.

A case for violation of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 is set to be filed against the suspects, who were detained, the police said. (SunStar Zamboanga)