THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced that six alleged drug dealers were arrested while some P10.2 million worth of illegal drugs seized in separate anti-drug operations in Zamboanga City, a top PDEA official announced Friday.

Lawyer Jacqueline De Guzman, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director, identified the arrested suspects as the following: Benajir Juhaili; Romel Alidjam; Rano Talib; Kerwin Suliaman; Bong Sawbin; and, Saddam Abduhassan.

De Guzman said Juhaili, Alidjam and Talib, who are all from this city, were arrested in a buy-bust operation around 5 p.m., Thursday, July 11, at Morning Breeze Subdivision in the village of Tugbungan, this city.

De Guzman said seized from them were a kilo of suspected shabu worth P6.8 million, a bundle of boodle money topped with one genuine P1,000 bill, a car and a scooter.

De Guzman said Sulaiman, Sawbin and Abduhassan were arrested in another buy-bust operation around 1:30 p.m. Friday at a supermarket in the village of Putik, this city.

She said sized from the three were one-half kilo of suspected shabu worth P3.4 million, a motorcycle and a bundle of boodle money.

She said the two anti-drug operations were launched by joint operatives of the PDEA Region 9 and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) backed by policemen since it is believed the source of illegal drugs were from BARMM and three of the six suspects are from Basilan and Sulu provinces.

The BARMM covers the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, aside from Basilan and Sulu and the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan and Marawi.

The PDEA official said charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are set to be filed against the suspects, who were detained. (SunStar Philippines)