Drug buy-busts and operations

 A 38-year-old man was taken by Baguio City policemen after they found out he grew marijuana in the yard of his rented house at Tetep-an Village in Bakakeng Sur.

Police said the man’s live-in partner sought police assistance and responding authorities saw in plain view, marijuana plants in front of his rented house and dried leaves on their dining table.

The man, whose name was still withheld by authorities, was caught and taken to the police station to face illegal drug charges. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Authorities destroyed nearly P65 million worth of marijuana plants in hinterland Kalinga and Benguet villages in a week’s eradication operations, delivering heavy blows against the illegal drug trade in the region, the Cordillera police said.

Definitely reducing the use and supply of illegal drugs in the region, these simultaneous anti-illegal drugs operations resulted in the discovery of over P64.9-M worth of Marijuana Plants and the seizure of over P61-K worth of shabu and Dried Marijuana fruiting tops from May 28-June 3, 2023, said Cordillera police director Police Brig. Gen. David Peredo believed.                            

He cited the marijuana eradication operations in the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet resulting in the discovery of a total of 150,620 pieces of fully-grown marijuana plants and 290,000 grams of marijuana stalks, reaching a Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P64,924,000. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

State agents seized P129,200 worth of shabu from four dealers, among them a government hospital cook, who fell in separate entrapment operations from weekend to Monday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 said. 

Aileen Lovitos, director of PDEA-12, said Wednesday the three suspects entrapped in Kidapawan City and another in Barangay San Jose here are now detained, charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. — The STAR/John Unson

At least P10 million worth of marijuana went up in smoke in Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga province on Wednesday afternoon ending a three-day eradication operation by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the police.

Operating teams discovered the plantation site with a land area of more or less 5,000 square meters with an estimated 50,000 pieces of fully-grown marijuana plants, Rosel Sarmiento, PDEA-Cordillera information officer said.

The plants were uprooted and burned, while no cultivator was caught, Sarmiento lamented. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Anti-narcotics agents seized P2.3 million worth of shabu from three men who fell in a sting on Tuesday in a hotel in Pagadian City.

In a statement Wednesday, the Police Regional Office 9 identified the suspects as Ronilo Toting Obedas, Niel Ampoller Sasing and Mark Jumawan Sumera, all from Maranding town in Lanao del Sur in Region 10.

The suspects were immediately frisked and cuffed after turning over 300 grams of shabu, valued at P2.3 million, to non-uniformed policemen in a tradeoff at JRC Hotel, in Purok Sampaguita in Barangay San Pedro, Pagadian City. — The STAR/John Unson

Red-faced California cops sold a suspected drugs trafficker a big packet of meth -- then watched him drive off, in a sting operation that plainly went a bit wrong.

Undercover sheriffs deputies in Riverside County near Los Angeles said they agreed to supply 27 kilograms (nearly 60 pounds) of the illegal stimulant, in what they hoped would give them the proof they needed to get their man.

But after handing over the cash and collecting his haul, the suspect apparently was not interested in hanging around to get arrested.

"After the transaction, the suspect drove away and deputies from the Gang Task Force attempted a vehicle stop," a press release from Riverside County Sheriff said of the April 19 operation.

"The suspect failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated. Due to the high speeds and suspect’s disregard for public safety, deputies lost sight of the vehicle." — AFP

Over 300 kilos of shabu tucked into at least 500 pieces of tea bags, marked with Chinese characters, were seized at a rented “warehouse” of a Chinese national at Purok 4, Irisan barangay Wednesday morning. 

Chinese national Hui Ming, alias “Tan”, was caught at the raid initiated by the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) of the Cordillera police with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents.

Anti-narcotics agents from the RDEU earlier sought a local court of a Search Warrant after painstaking intelligence operations against the Chinese national, said Cordillera police director Brigadier General David Peredo, who had directed policemen in the highland region of a sustained effort to rid the six provinces and two cities in the Cordillera of illegal drugs. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Anti-illegal drug operatives arrested two alleged drug dealers in a raid on a drug den in Sitio Lo-oy, Central Guinzadan, Bauko town in Mountain Province last Saturday afternoon.

The suspects were identified as a 36-year-old farmer residing in Guinzadan Norte and his 24-year-old brother-in-law who hails from Conner, Apayao but now resides in Locbuban, Central Guinzadan.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) - Mountain Province agents, Ifugao policemen, intelligence operatives from the Mountain Province police command and the Cordillera Regional Intelligence Division - Cordillera and other police units launched a sting operation against the two suspects at a small house located in a farm area in Lo-oy where the two suspects are working. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Benguet police destroyed almost half a million pesos worth of weed from at least three plantation sites in just a day of eradication operation at Sitio Macagang, Kayapa in Bakun town in Benguet Tuesday.

Benguet police Drug Enforcement Unit discovered at the first site 400 fully-grown marijuana plants worth P80,000.00 and 1,500 FGMJPs worth P300,000.00 at the second and 500 FGMJPs worth P100,000.00 at the third location.  The marijuana plants have a total cost of 480,000.00.

All marijuana plants were uprooted, documented and burned onsite while enough samples were taken for the Regional Forensic Unit (RFU)-Cordillera for Qualitative Test.

Meanwhile,  policemen collared two alleged drug users at Sitio Makinala, Barangay Bantay in Paracelis town in Mt. Province after informants tipped them off of an ongoing drug session at a shanty.

— The STAR/Atrtemio Dumlao

A police team seized P510,000 worth of shabu from a dealer who fell in a sting in Carmen town in Cotabato province on Sunday.

Police Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, director of the Police Regional Office 12, told reporters Tuesday the suspect, Alfie Camsa Madaliday, is now detained, to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Madaliday was entrapped by combined personnel of the Carmen Municipal Police Station and anti-narcotics agents from other units of PRO-12 in Purok 14 in Barangay Poblacion. — The STAR/John Unson

Anti-narcotics agents seized P3.4 million worth of shabu from two traffickers, one of them a senior citizen, entrapped in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte on Friday.

Christian Frivaldo, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said Sunday Alimudin Tapempi, 69, and his 37-year-old accomplice, Badrudin Abdulrahman Ebrahim, are now detained, awaiting prosecution.

 Frivaldo said they shall also charge with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 a third suspect, Abdulpata Mohamad Mamalinta, who ran away when he sensed they were selling P3.4 million worth of shabu to non-uniformed PDEA-BARMM agents last Friday in Barangay Salimbao here. — The STAR/John Unson

Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., Philippine National Police chief, said that there are still three generals and seven colonels who have yet to turn in courtesy resignations. The PNP set a January 31 deadline for top police officials to send theirs in.

Three policemen wounded in a shootout with drug traffickers in Lanao del Sur each got a merit medal Saturday for gallantry and dedication to service.

Major Bobby Egera, municipal police chief of Marantao in the first district of Lanao del Sur, and Corporals Mujahid Taurac and Al-Sadat Jahiri, were hurt in a clash with gunmen led by Abbas Dimnang Rampa, wanted for murder, illegal possession of firearms and trafficking of narcotics.

Rampa and his followers are identified with a local terrorist group fashioned from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, according to senior members of the Lanao del Sur provincial peace and order council.

-- The STAR/John Unson

Anti-narcotics agents uprooted P4.2 million worth of marijuana shrubs in an upland barangay in Tampakan town in South Cotabato Monday.

Naravy Duquiatan, director for Region 12 of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, told reporters Tuesday PDEA-12 agents had uprooted 21,000 marijuana plants in their operation in Barangay Tablu in Tampakan.

Duquiatan said the operation was assisted by personnel of the Tampakan Municipal Police Station and the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office and agents from the Police Regional Office-12. -- The STAR/John Unson

 Two 17-year-old students are being sued for illegal drug trading after they were caught with marijuana leaves in a semi-tubular form Sunday at a checkpoint in Lubuagan, Kalinga.

According to Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. Mafelino Bazar,  the duo, borj students from Tabuk City, Kalinga and newly identified drug personalities, were initially caught by Kalinga policemen disobeying the police officers and evading the established checkpoint in Brgy. Dangoy, Lubuagan town. -- The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Police colonels and generals in central and northern Luzon have yet to file courtesy resignations that Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos appealed top brass to submit in an effort to "cleanse" the Philippine National Police of top cops with drug ties.

Police Brig. Gen. Mafelino Bazar, Cordillera police director, said that although nobody had filed as of mid-afternoon on Thursday, he believed "most if not all colonels and generals in the highland Cordillera region will follow" the example of Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. — Philippine National Police chief — who submitted his courtesy resignation on Thursday morning. 

Bazar said all colonels and generals stationed in the Cordillera Administrative Region will be sitting down with him Friday to discuss the matter. "Almost all, I think," he said in Filipino of which officials he thinks will file theirs. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Policemen confiscated P680,000 worth of shabu from a peddler who had escaped amid a sting on Wednesday afternoon in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao. 

The suspect, a certain Sammy of Kabuntalan town in Maguindanao, had escaped when he sensed he was dealing with undercover policemen, led by Major Esmael Madin of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. — The STAR/John Unson

A police official says they have confiscated P680,000 worth of shabu from a dealer who fell in a sting Monday in nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, says Tuesday they are to prosecute the suspect, Amilodin Guima Akmad, for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Akmad fell in an entrapment operation in the town proper of Datu Odin Sinsuat, some 40 kilometers south of this city. — The STAR/John Unson

Police seized P600,000 worth of marijuana leaves in a rice sack and four plastic bags from two peddlers entrapped Sunday night in Marawi City.

The duo, Abdulrahman Casanguan Galawan, 25, and the 30-year-old Arham Benaning Zacaria, are now in the custody of the Marawi City Police Office,

They are to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. -- The STAR/John Unson

Police on Saturday uprooted some P10 million worth of marijuana plants in another barangay in Maguing town in Lanao del Sur.

Col. Jibin Bongacayao, director of the Lanao del Sur provincial police, said Sunday police and soldiers immediately set on fire the marijuana plants uprooted in Barangay Batobato in Maguing after collecting specimens as evidence in filing cases against propagators.

He said the raiding teams burned no fewer than 50,000 marijuana plants before leaving the site. -- The STAR/John Unson

A drug peddler who fell in a P3.4-million sting in Cotabato City over the weekend has links to a local terrorist group, Army and police intelligence officials said.

The 23-year-old Bomul Salunting is in the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. 

He has been charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act after his arrest for selling half a kilo of shabu to PDEA-BARMM agents in Barangay Rosary Heights 4.

Army and police intelligence sources told reporters Tuesday that Salunting, who hails from Talayan in Maguindanao, remitted fractions of his earnings from his shabu sales to the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. — The STAR/John Unson

A police team uprooted 3,000 marijuana shrubs in the upland Tugaya town in Lanao del Sur Tuesday.

Police Col. Jibin Bongcayao, director of the Lanao del Sur provincial police, said Wednesday their operation was premised on tips by villagers in Barangay Bago-a-Ingud in Tugaya about the propagation of marijuana by an armed group in the area.

Bongcayao said combined personnel of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office, the Tugaya municipal police force and units under the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region together destroyed the marijuana farm on Tuesday afternoon.

“Our personnel immediately set the plants on fire after collecting samples to be used as evidence in filing cases against its propagators,” Bongcayao said. — The STAR/John Unson

Anti-narcotics agents seized P74,000 worth of shabu from two drug den operators and three accomplices entrapped in Tampakan, South Cotabato Saturday, July 2.

The main suspects, two brothers, fell in a sting Saturday together laid in Tampakan by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 and units of the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office.

Naravy Duquiatan, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12, said Monday three accomplices of the alleged drug den operators were also arrested.

The five suspects were immediately frisked and cuffed. They will face complaints of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. — The STAR/John Unson

Authorities seized P136,000 worth of shabu from four armed drug den operators, said to have links with local terror groups, entrapped in Buldon, Maguindanao over the weekend.

Jalil Maguilis, Johaiver Mamalumpong Usop, Jhonari Mamalacat and Alenajer Manalao, who fell in a sting in Barangay Rumidas in Buldon town in Maguindanao are now detained, awaiting prosecution.

In a statement Monday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the suspects shall be charged separately with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and illegal possession of assault rifles.

The entrapment operation that resulted in their arrest was jointly carried out by the PDEA-BARMM, personnel of the Navy’s 5^th Marine Battalion and units of the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office. — The STAR/John Unson

Officials destroyed Tuesday P60.5 million worth of shabu seized in anti-narcotics operations in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur in the past six months.

The illegal drugs were destroyed on Tuesday morning in an incinerator of the Lamsan Trading, Southern Mindanao’s largest cornstarch producer, in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

The incineration of the P60.5 million worth of drugs seized in the past six months was led by Rogelito Daculla, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“We are thankful to the barangay people and the local officials who were secretly, silently in the forefront of the operations that resulted in the confiscation in recent months of these illegal drugs,” Daculla said at the sideline of Tuesday’s event. — The STAR/John Unson

State agents shot dead an uncooperative illegal drug den owner and arrested two of his cohorts in an entrapment operation here Monday, June 20.

Rogelito Daculla, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, on Tuesday identified the slain shabu dealer as Alex Usman.

Usman operated an illegal drug den in Sitio Talitay in Barangay Rosary Heights 7 here.

Usman, long under surveillance by PDEA-BARMM for peddling of shabu, died instantly from multiple bullet wounds. ?— The STAR/John Unson

 The police clamped down three drug peddlers nabbed Tuesday in Balindong town in Lanao del Sur.

Personnel of the Balindong Municipal Police Station found P34,000 worth of shabu in the hideout of Abubakar Jamail Didato, Hakim Didato and Aisah Mala Didato in Barangay Dadayag, raided and searched for drugs based on a court order.

Captain Joel Cabanes, chief of the Balindong municipal police, and his subordinates had also seized from the three suspects a bolt-action sniper rifle, two fragmentation grenades and a shoulder-fire launcher for 40 millimeter explosive projectiles.

Cabanes, in a report to the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office in Marawi City, said relatives privy to the illegal activities of the suspects supported the operation that led to their arrest. -- The STAR/John Unson

Anti-narcotics agents in Cotabato City arrested a housewife for a drug trafficking offense but failed to clamp down her husband, a municipal councilor, during an operation Saturday.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency were to serve the couple — Suwaib and Raquel Manibpel — warrants for their arrest in connection with a drug trafficking case pending in a local court but got only one of them.

Suwaib is an incumbent municipal councilor in the controversial Talitay town in Maguindanao, where certain leaders had been tagged as druglords, even included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of narco-politicians. — The STAR/John Unson

State agents confiscated P680,000 worth of shabu and an M-14 rifle from three peddlers bearing identification cards of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front entrapped in Barangay Awang in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on Monday.

In a statement Tuesday, the office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said Teng Panayam Saliguidan, Omra Abdullah Usop and Guiadzali Quituar Kedtag are now clamped down in its detention facility in Cotabato City.

They are to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, according to PDEA-BARMM.

The suspects were arrested immediately after selling their illegal merchandise to undercover agents during a sting in Barangay Awang here on Monday afternoon.

Besides the 100 grams of shabu worth P680,000 and an M14 rifle, PDEA-BARMM agents also seized MILF identification cards from the three suspects. —The STAR/John Unson

Authorities busted a five-member shabu distribution ring and shut their drug den in Marawi City on Wednesday.

The suspects were entrapped in Barangay Caniogan by combined agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and personnel of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police and the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade.

PDEA-BARMM agents confiscated P102,000 worth of shabu, in sealed sachets, that they sold to undercover agents disguised as drug dependents in a tradeoff in Barangay Caniogan. 

Relatives of the suspects reportedly provided authorities information on their shabu distribution network here and in nearby towns in Lanao del Sur, enabling authorities to plot that sting that resulted in the arrest. — The STAR/John Unson

Authorities uprooted more than 10,000 marijuana plants in Kalingalan Caluang town in Sulu on Sunday although the people tending the plants managed to escape.

In a statement Monday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the alleged propagators of the marijuana plants, were initially identified only as "Jabs" and "Aksan".

The Sulu provincial police, units of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in the province and the Philippine Navy’s 8th Marine Battalion assisted the PDEA-BARMM’s marijuana uprooting operation in Barangay Masjid Bayle.

PDEA-BARMM agents and officials of the Sulu provincial police placed at around P8.6 million the value of the confiscated marijuana plants. — The STAR/John Unson

Anti-narcotics operatives seized P3.4 million worth of shabu from a dealer killed in a supposed entrapment operation in Midsayap, North Cotabato on Wednesday that went haywire.

Naravy Duquiatan, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12, said PDEA agents and personnel of the Midsayap municipal police were to arrest Jacky Guimba after the tradeoff, but killed him instead when he pulled out a gun sensing he had sold the shabu to undercover lawmen.

The sting that the PDEA-12 laid in Barangay Salunayan here and resulted in the death of Guimba was also assisted by the Army’s 34th Infantry Division.

Duquiatan said PDEA-12 agents and their police counterparts recovered from Guimba 10 large sachets of shabu valued at P3.4 million, a .45 caliber pistol and other belongings, including his Honda RS motorcycle. — The STAR/John Unson

Despite bad weather brought by Typhoon Odette, authorities uprooted 10,670 marijuana plants in Maguing, Lanao del Sur in an operation Thursday, the third haul in just a week.

In a statement Friday, the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the marijuana plants were planted on patches of lands with rolling terrain in Barangay Dalimbayan. They said the farm was not too far from an abandoned camp of the New People's Army.

Combined agents from PDEA-BARMM’s Lanao del Sur office, personnel of the provincial and municipal police forces and the Army’s 5th Infantry Battalion immediately set the marijuana plants on fire after collecting samples as evidence.

No arrests were made. — The STAR/John Unson

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Cordillera together with the Mountain Province police arrested a dozen tourists who were allegedly trying to sneak bricks of marijuana out of Kalinga province.

The 12 were flagged at Sitio Ampawilen, Poblacion, Sadanga, Mountain Province,  a common route of drug traders bringing marijuana down from the Cordillera region.

Authorities said they flagged down the group on Sunday afternoon after receiving a tip from a government informant that the group was transporting eight marijuana bricks that weighed more or less 8.2 kilograms. The marijuana was estimated to be worth P940,000. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

For selling just P500 worth of shabu, a police corporal landed in jail, to face a criminal case and could be booted out from service via administrative proceedings.

The suspect, a police corporal, is now detained in a facility of the Cotabato City police.

Chio belongs to the municipal police force in nearby Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.

A police team seized P500 worth of shabu from the suspect during a trade off with undercover policemen in a sting past 4 p.m. Saturday along the busy Gov. Gutierrez Avenue.

Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Sunday the operation that resulted in the arrest was premised on tips from vigilant informants privy to the police officer's illegal activity. 

"Besides the criminal case to be filed against him, he shall also be facing an administrative case that could kick him out of the Philippine National Police." — The STAR/John Unson

State Agents seized P1.7 million worth of shabu from a trafficker entrapped in Talayan town in Maguindanao at about noontime Wednesday.

In a statement, the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the suspect is now clamped down in its detention facility in Cotabato City.

Miral was immediately frisked and cuffed after selling one-fourth kilo of shabu, worth P1.7 million, to undercover PDEA-BARMM agents during a sting along a highway in the town proper of Talayan.

The entrapment operation that led to his arrest was assisted by personnel of the Talayan municipal police and the Army's 2nd Mechanized Battalion under the 6th Infantry Division. — The STAR/John Unson 

Authorities seized P340,000 worth of shabu from a trafficker arrested Saturday in Datu Odin Sinsuat town after seven attempts to entrap him.
 
The suspect was nabbed after allegedly selling 50 grams of shabu to an undercover agent of the Philippine Drug-Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in Barangay Poblacion 2 in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

He eluded seven attempts to clamp him down in the past 12 months.

PDEA-BARMM officials told reporters Sunday that the suspect is a resident of Barangay Tulunan in Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Maguindanao. — The STAR/John Unson

Anti-illegal drug operatives burned P5 million worth of weed in two separate plantations in Benguet on Saturday.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera, together with Benguet police, swopped down on a marijuana plantation in Bakun, Benguet and discovered a total of 6,400 marijuana plants valued at P1,280,000 planted on a communal forest with an estimated land area of 800 square meters.

At least 30kg of dried marijuana stalks amounting to P3,600,000 were found at the same location.

While a total of 750 marijuana plants valued at P150,000.00 planted 150 square meter lot on a communal forest in Kibungan, Benguet were also torched. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

A clerk at the Cagayan National High School in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan was caught in a drug sting operation on Monday along Bonifacio St., Centro 1 of that city.

The suspect, a 36-year-old man from Cataggaman Nuevo sold  a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing "shabu" for P1,000 to an undercover agent.  When frisked, authorities seized six more heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of shabu valued at P8,000.

Police also seized the suspect's Honda Beat motorcycle, a tooter kit, a bamboo stick and a tooter glass tube. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

State agents seized P3.4 million worth of shabu from a trafficker they tried but failed to entrap in Talayan, Maguindanao Wednesday.

The alleged drug trafficker managed to run away when he noticed he was about to sell half a kilo of shabu to non-uniformed agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Juvenal Azurin, director of PDEA-BARMM, said Thursday there is a possibility that the target was hidden from pursuing agents by “sympathizers” in the village where the bungled sting was laid.

The suspect even left his motorcycle behind. — The STAR/John Unson 

The 15 drug dealers nabbed May 14 in Picong, Lanao del Sur belong to the “Picong cartel” circulating 30  kilos of shabu monthly in the province, officials said Monday.

The suspects, arrested in separate raids in Picong town in Lanao del Sur, are now in the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

One of their leaders, Kareem Usop Abedin, was killed in an ensuing shootout that preceded their arrest.

The incident left Patrolmen Melvin Habiling and Richard Nicolas, both from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and Master Sergeant Rafael Abdullah of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, wounded.

The 15 suspects — Ansano Ampuan, Amrudin Sarip, Aminodin Ditucalan, Samsudin Itaw, Libot Dimaampao, Liya Dimaampao, Jerry Toma, Gorbani Bitucalan, Jomar Pagayawan, Samin Abdillah, Alioden Buale, Bokari Dagu, Asrap Dimampa, Jasser Baguan and Jomar Abdul — were tagged in the ambush in Picong in 2014 and, subsequently, in 2017, of police vehicles that resulted in the death of a policeman and injured five others.

"These are big fishes. They are members of the so-called 'Picong drug cartel' circulating regularly a big volume of shabu in Lanao del Sur," a community elder, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said Monday. — The STAR/John Unson

Isabela police overran an indoor marijuana growing station run by a supposed drug cartel big boss in Cagayan Valley region in Cauayan City, Isabela on Wednesday.

Joey Manallo Uy, 34, whose family owns a number of businesses, including the drive-in morel raided by authorities, was taken to answer drug charges after marijuana, marijuana growing implements and materials were found at the motel and in Uy's home.

Police Brig. Gen.  Crizaldo Nieves, regional director, says Cauayan City police led by Lt. Col. Gerald Gamboa joined by Isabela police intelligence agents and PDEA Isabela agents served a search warrant found at Uy's house in Cauayan City and at the motel. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

State agents confiscated P6.8 million worth of shabu from a couple entrapped Wednesday afternoon in Marawi City, authorities say.
 
Ating Pundogar and his wife, Norhata, were immediately arrested after selling a kilo of shabu to agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency disguised as drug dependents in a tradeoff along a stretch of national highway in Barangay Matampay in Marawi City.

Juvenal Azurin, director of PDEA-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, says the suspects are now detained. — The STAR/John Unson

Follow this thread for spot reports and updates on buy-bust and other anti-narcotics operations of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies.