ABOUT P13 million worth of shabu was seized from a newly identified high-value individual in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Rizal, San Carlos City past 4 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
San Carlos City Police deputy chief Lieutenant Ruby Aurita identified the arrested suspect as Rex Baron, 49, of Fatima village in Barangay Rizal.
Aurta said the suspect was arrested after he transacted to a police poseur buyer at the barangay's Sitio Tul-ang.
Seven sachets and two packs of the banned substance weighing about two kilograms and P6,600 in cash believed to be proceeds from illegal drugs were seized from Baron.
Investigation showed that the suspect is the caretaker at the rest house of San Carlos City's top drug personality whose name the police withheld.
Aurita said that Baron's boss was supposed to be the target of the buy-bust but he evaded arrest.
The packaging of the shabu seized from Baron is seemingly the same with that of those seized from a woman at Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu also on Tuesday, Aurita said.
They, however, cannot confirm yet if they have the same source, she added.
What is sure is that the boss of Baron is linked to a drug suspect they earlier arrested in January this year.
Meanwhile, four men were also arrested in a buy-bust operation past 1 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, in Purok Pine Tree, Barangay Bata, Bacolod City.
Arrested were Joemarie Mahusay alias "Tabi," 40; Ariel Aranilla, alias "Mark", 24, of Purok Villagracia; and his neighbor Ericson Mabaga alias "Eric", 26, also of Barangay Bata; and Romelito Malinao, 31, of Purok Acacia in Barangay Felisa.
Police seized five sachets of shabu weighing 15 grams and valued at P105,000, as well as several other drug paraphernalia.
Like Baron, they will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.