OPERATIVES of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), together with policemen, have arrested an alleged big-time drug trader and seized P3.4 million worth of illegal drugs in an anti-drug operation.

Jury Rocamora, PDEA-Zamboanga City Office head, identified the arrested suspect as Benhar Mowa, an alleged member of a drug syndicate that operates in the region, Northern Mindanao and Cotabato areas.

Rocamora said Mowa was arrested in an anti-drug operation around 7:35 p.m. Sunday, July 18, at a parking lot of a shopping mall in Barangay Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City.

Seized from Mowa were 500 grams of shabu packed in 10 transparent heat-sealed plastic packs worth P3.5 million and concealed in a facemask box, two smartphones, one analog phone, an identification card, a sling bag, and an ecobag.

Rocamora said Mowa's cohorts, a policeman, did not show up during the buy-bust operation.

The policeman, who is assigned with the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Mobile Force Company, escaped in an anti-drug operation on June 7 in Cawit village, Zamboanga City.

The July 7 anti-drug operation in Cawit resulted in the arrest of two suspects and confiscation of a kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million.

Rocamora said the suspect's group get their supply of illegal drugs from the province of Sulu. (SunStar Zamboanga)