THREE people, including a village official, were arrested, while some P700,400 worth of illegal drugs were seized in separate anti-drug operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula, the police reported Sunday, May 2, 2021.

The police identified the arrested suspects were identified as follows: Gerry Tiol, 55; Glenn Abu, 50; and Shaidin Saidula, 33.

Police Captain Edwin Duco, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, said Tiol was arrested in a buy-bust operation around 7:40 p.m. Saturday in Purok Tandang Sora in Poblacion South village, Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte.

Duco said Tiol, a councilor of Poblacion South village, yielded some P20,400 worth of suspected shabu, P500 marked money, and P140 cash in different denominations believe to be proceeds money.

Police Colonel Rexmel Reyes, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said Abu and Saidula, both high-value target drug suspects, were arrested by operatives of ZCPO’s Station 3 around 2:50 p.m. Saturday in Purok 6, Talon-Talon village, Zamboanga City.

Seized from the two were some 100 grams of suspected shabu worth P680,000 concealed in empty packs of noodles, 180 pieces of P1,000 boodle money topped with one genuine P1,000 bill as marked money and other personal belongings.

Reyes said the anti-drug operation was launched following surveillance on the illegal activities of the two suspects.

The suspects will be charged for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (SunStar Zamboanga)