ZAMBOANGA City Police Office (ZCPO) operatives have arrested an alleged big-time drug suspect and seized some P6.8 million worth of illegal drugs in an anti-drug operation in Zamboanga City, the police reported Thursday, September 23, 2021.

Police Colonel Rexmel Reyes, ZCPO director, identified the arrested suspect as Elmer Esmiraji alias Totoh, 24, a resident of Talipao, Sulu.

Reyes said Esmiraji was arrested by joint operatives of the City Drug Enforcement Unit and ZCPO’s Station 4 in a buy-bust operation around 9:10 a.m. Thursday in Purok 5, Arena Blanco village, Zamboanga City.

He said seized from the suspect were more or less one kilogram of suspected shabu worth P6.8 million, P1.1 million boodle money topped with one genuine P1,000 bill as marked money, packing tape, a plastic pack and a paper bag.

Reyes said the suspect’s arrest came after they intensified the campaign against illegal drugs with focus on high-value targets or big-time drug personalities.

He said appropriate charges are set to be filed against the suspect, who was detained. (SunStar Zamboanga)