MORE than half a million pesos worth of suspected shabu were seized in Bacolod City and EB Magalona town in Negros Occidental from November 10 to 11, 2022.
These operations led to the arrests of Michael Bermejo, 34, of Hancienda Banilad 1 in Barangay Nanca in EB Magalona, and Oscar Ogahayon, 44, of Purok 3 Hervias in Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod.
Major Kenneth Gratones, chief of police of EB Magalona town, said they conducted a joint operation along with the Philippine National Police Special Action Force and the 605th Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion around 4 a.m. Friday in Barangay Nanca where they arrested Bermejo.
Gratones said they were armed with a search warrant issued by Honorable Judge Leonardo Facultad Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 69 dated November 8, 2022 when they conducted the operation on the suspect’s residence.
Recovered during the search were 14 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 60 grams and valued at P408,000.
On Thursday, about P102,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized in a drug bust operation by operatives of Police Station 4 in Purok Hervias 3, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod past 10 p.m. where Ogahayon was apprehended.
Major Ritchie Gohee, commander of Police Station 4, said Friday that the suspect was arrested after he sold a sachet of shabu to a poseur buyer.
Police recovered from Ogahayon's possession six sachets of suspected shabu weighing 15 grams and the P500 marked money.
Gohee said Ogahayon, who was a former detainee for violation of illegal drugs but was released on probation, was under surveillance for almost three weeks before his arrest.
He said Ogahayon was identified as a high-value individual in Bacolod City.
The suspect was detained at the custodial facility of Police Station 4.
He will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (With reports from MAP)