Fish vendor yields P2,720 worth of suspected shabu in Sipocot town

By Kurt Domingo

A 44-year-old fish vendor was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted shortly after midnight on Wednesday in Barangay Malubago, Sipocot, Camarines Sur, police said.

The suspect, identified only by the alias “Mentong,” is a single and resident of the municipality Sipocot.

According to the Sipocot Municipal Police Station (MPS), personnel of its Municipal Drug Enforcement Unit (MDEU), in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office V (PDEA-ROV), carried out the anti-illegal drug operation at around 12:09 a.m. on July 8.

Police said the suspect was arrested after an undercover officer, acting as a poseur-buyer with the assistance of a confidential informant, successfully purchased one heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu for P500.

A subsequent body search led to the recovery of the marked P500 buy-bust money and three more heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu.

Authorities said the confiscated suspected shabu had a total estimated weight of 0.4 gram and an estimated street value of P2,720.

Police said the body search, marking, inventory, and photographing of the seized evidence were conducted at the scene in the presence of the suspect and the required insulating witnesses. The operation was also documented using body-worn cameras and an alternative recording device.

The suspect was informed of his constitutional rights and was taken to the Sipocot Municipal Police Station for proper disposition. He is expected to face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165).