7 nabbed, P300-K shabu seized in Albay drug ops

LEGAZPI CITY --- Anti-narcotics operatives arrested seven suspected drug pushers and seized suspected shabu with a street value of nearly P300,000 in separate drug sting operations in two coastal villages here Thursday.

Cotton Talento, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 5 (Bicol) spokesperson, said that during the operations, a total of 39 sachets of suspected shabu weighing more or less 400 grams was recovered.

Arrested in the raid at a drug den in Barangay Pigcale were Marlon Lovino, 45, single of Barangay (village) Sabang; Ryan Valencia, 33, and Rey Estipona, 33, both from Barangay Pigcale; and Donald Velasco, 49, and Sammy Andres, 43, both from Castilla town in Sorsogon.

PDEA operatives swooped down on Lovino’s residence on the strength of a search warrant, at about 12:30 p.m. Recovered from his home that is suspected to be operating as a drug den were 18 sachets of shabu.

At about 1 p.m. in the same village, PDEA agents arrested Jesus Oro Basallote, 63, and seized from him two plastic sachets of shabu weighing 10 grams.

In another drug raid at about 2:32 p.m. also in Barangay Sabang, anti-drug operatives arrested Joya Losanez, who yielded 12 sachets of shabu weighing 10 grams.

Meanwhile, Ronel Loterte, another alleged drug pusher also in Barangay Pigcale, managed to elude the arresting PDEA agents after yielding seven sachets of shabu. (PNA)