GOVERNMENT forces seized a kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million in an anti-drug operation in Sultan Mastura town in Maguindanao del Norte last Tuesday.
But the drug dealer who was the subject of the operation managed to elude arrest after a firefight, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.
In a statement, the PDEA-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the buy-bust operation was conducted against a drug dealer known by the aliases Dhats, Dats, and Datu along a national highway in Barangay Tapayan, Sultan Mastura.
The operation was conducted by personnel of the PDEA, 601st Mechanized Battalion of the Army, the Marine Battalion Landing Team 2, Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Police Office, and Sultan Mastura police station.
“Upon the consummation of the transaction, the suspect sensed the presence of the apprehending team and ran towards the nearby houses,” PDEA said.
“A hot pursuit was conducted against alias Dhats/Dats/Datu. However, he fired upon the raiding team, which resulted in a short firefight. He managed to evade arrest,” PDEA added.
Seized during the operation were 20 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a kilo of shabu.
PDEA said a case for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against the suspect.
Police seized P347,208 worth of suspected dangerous drugs and arrested a jobless man in a buy-bust operation in Binangonan, Rizal last Tuesday.
Col. Felipe Maraggun, Rizal provincial police office (PPO) director, identified the suspect as alias Bilok, 34, a resident of Barangay Darangan, Binangonan, Rizal. — With Christian Oineza
