P3M worth of drugs seized in Bacolod

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Police arrested a former seaman and a woman in a buy-bust operation in Barangay 1 here Wednesday night, July 4. 

High-value target Rayden Palomero of Talisay City and Rica Mitch Villalon of Barangay Banago  yielded P3 million worth of suspected shabu after the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) raided their rented house.

Authorities seized from them 16 sachets of illegal drugs weighing 260 grams, P5,000 in marked money, and 3  bank transaction deposit slips.

Both suspects were detained at Police Station 2 while the recovered drugs were brought to the Regional Crime Laboratory for examination. 

Drug charges will be filed against them once the result of the laboratory examination comes out. 

Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said in a press conference on Thursday, July 5,  that Palomero is a supplier of illegal drugs in the city and neighboring cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental.

He started to engage in the illegal drug trade after he experienced problems in his work and family, Ebreo said.

The city police chief refused to confirm the relationship between the two suspects.

Palomero is also an alleged supplier to the drug group of the late Ramy Poja, Western Visayas top drug lord, Ebreo said. 

Ebreo said police  saw a name of a certain “Poja” on a slip from a money remittance firm for a drug transaction, but police would have to validate if Palomero is part of Poja’s drug group or has a separate group.

Poja was killed in a police operation in Barangay Banago two months ago after he resisted arrest.

Ebreo said the neutralization of Poja led to the discovery of other drug personalities in the city. 

Ebreo said Palomero would usually stay in a hotel for the repacking of the items and would get the money through bank transactions or remittance. – Rappler.com