LAWMEN have arrested a driver and seized some P437,036 worth of illegal drugs in a law enforcement operation in Lanao del Norte, the police said Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
Police Brigadier General Nestor Babagay Jr., Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao director, identified the arrested driver as alias Mar, a resident of Tubod village, Iligan City.
Babagay said Mar was arrested in a buy-bust operation Monday, September 21, in Tubod village, Iligan City.
Babagay said seized from Mar were 64.27 grams of suspected shabu packed in nine heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets worth P437,036, a rubber pencil case, a weighing scale, bills worth P300 used as buy-bust money, and other drug paraphernalia.
The arrested suspect was brought to Police Station 4 of Iligan City Police Office, for proper documentation and temporary detention.
Babagay said that Mar had been arrested twice previously for drug-related offenses, making Monday’s arrest the third one.
Mar allegedly sourced the illegal drugs from Marawi City and distributed them in Iligan City, with information indicating that he would also allegedly dispense illegal drugs when traveling to Cagayan de Oro City.
Charges for violations of Section 5 and 11, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against the suspect.
Babagay commended the operating units for the successful anti-drug operation.
“We will continue our fight against illegal drugs. We will not stop going after those who sell and distribute drugs in our communities,” Babagay said in a statement.
“Our goal is simple: to keep our people safe from illegal drugs,” he added.
The anti-drug operation was carried out by personnel of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO), together with the Iligan City Mobile Force Company (ICMFC) and ICPO personnel, as well as an intelligence operative from Police Station 4. (SunStar Zamboanga)