AUTHORITIES arrested three persons in an anti-drug operation that resulted to the dismantling of a drug den in Basilan province, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
Gil Cesario Castro, director of PDEA in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), identified the arrested suspects as Jerry De Leon Macahilos, the drug den maintainer; Ritchie Mojad Reyes; and, Marjonie Ali Isa.
Castro said the three suspects were arrested in a buy-bust operation on Monday, September 16, at Purok Fidel, Malinis village, Lamintan City, Basilan.
“The shutdown of the drug den has significantly helped in the continuous barangay drug clearing as part of their monitoring to sustain a drug-cleared status,” Castro said in a statement.
Castro said seized from the dismantled drug den were some five grams of suspected shabu packed in six heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets worth P34,000, buy-bust money, various illegal drug paraphernalia, and identification cards.
He said the three arrested suspects are now temporarily detained at Lamitan City Police Station while awaiting an inquest proceeding for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
He said the buy-bust operation was launched by PDEA agents with the support of the police and military in Basilan province.
Castro expressed his gratitude for all the support of the operating units and commended them and the city government of Lamitan for their relentless efforts, which resulted in the success of the anti-drug operation. (SunStar Zamboanga)