FIVE people -- four fishermen and a housewife -- were arrested while more than half-a-million worth of illegal drugs were seized as authorities dismantled a drug den in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, an official said Friday, May 6.

Emerson Margate, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director, identified the arrested suspects as Jerwin Abu Haddi, 24, and his wife, Nurjana, 21, both drug den maintainer; Wisal Abdulmajid Abtali, 23, also drug den maintainer; Jemhar Salapudin Alibasa, 27, drug den visitor; and Sattar Abtali Anuddin, 33, fisherman, drug den visitor.

Margate said the drug den was dismantled and the suspects were arrested in an anti-drug operation around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, May 5, in Purok 1 in Pulo Mabaw village, Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Recovered from the dismantled drug den were 75 grams of shabu worth P510,000, two caliber .45 pistols with ammunition, 79 pieces of P1,000 bills boodle money topped with one genuine P1,000 bill as marked money, three cellular phones, two pouches, a sling bag, a holster, a conventional weighing scale and illegal drug paraphernalia.

He said the anti-drug operation was launched by a joint team of PDEA operatives, policemen, and soldiers following surveillance on the illegal drug trade activity of the suspects.

He said cases for violation of Sections 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 15, Article II of Republic Act (RA) 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, will be filed against the suspects who are detained. (SunStar Zamboanga)