AUTHORITIES over the weekend seized contraband inside the Misamis Occidental Provincial Reformatory Jail at Lower Lamac, Oroquieta City, under its "Oplan Galugad" campaign.
Senior Inspector Julie Garcia, police spokesperson of Misamis Occidental, said the Oplan Galugad operations yielded 53 sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as "shabu," worth P53,000, around 5:30 a.m., Saturday, September 2.
The illegal drugs were found inside the jail cells of two inmates, Danilo "Dantacs" Tac-an of barangay Nacional, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, and a certain Jojo Bolong, a resident of Plaridel town of the same province.
The seized illegal drugs were found placed in an empty roll-on deodorant owned by Tac-an, while another sachet was found hidden inside the makeshift bed of inmate Bolong.
The said inmates are facing illegal drugs charges.
Also seized were 4 packs of cigarettes, 7 pieces of assorted disposable lighters, 2 bladed weapons, 2 cellular phones, 2 cellular phone batteries, 4 mobile chargers, and an improvised pipe marble gun.
Also, in the female cell, 5 strips of used aluminum foil were found, 4 sim packs, an improvised knife, a modified screw driver, and a disposable lighter.
After the operation, police operatives conducted a surprise mandatory drug testing of the more or less 40 provincial jail guards to determine whether they are also involved in the proliferation of the illegal drugs inside the provincial jail.
The operation was conducted by elements of Oroquieta City Police, the Philippine Coast Guard K-9 Unit, and the Provincial Public Safety Company.
Garcia said the suspects were brought to the Oroquieta police station for booking procedures and for the filing of additional charges against the inmates, while the confiscated items were turned over to the Provincial Crime Laboratory. (PJ Orias)