By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Around 18 people were arrested following a joint operation by members of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Negros Island Region (PDEA-NIR) on a suspected drug den at Pantalan-Daan, Barangay I, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, late Thursday evening.
Based on an official report by NOPPO, the target of the operation was 40-year-old Joey Nillosan, a resident of the said barangay.
Cops busted into the suspected drug den after the suspect handed one sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover operative.
Police also arrested the 17 other individuals inside after they were caught in the act of allegedly buying and using illegal drugs.
A search yielded 21 small and two elongated sachets of suspected shabu, and drug paraphernalia.
All 18 suspects face drug-related charges and are presently detained at the Hinigaran Municipal Police Station./WDJ