An individual considered the “right-hand man” for a local drug subgroup was arrested following a raid conducted by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) at Purok Magnolia in Barangay 7, Bacolod City, Wednesday evening, after almost two weeks of surveillance.

Police identified the suspect as 22-year-old John Carl Paje, a resident of the said barangay and suspected member of the Magundacan drug subgroup, which is under the Caunda drug syndicate.

CDEU assistant team leader, Police Senior Inspector James Albaytar, said Paje was previously urged to surrender under “Oplan: Tokhang” in 2016.

He said officers moved in after Paje handed one elongated sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover cop.

A search further yielded two big sachets of suspected shabu, valued at P160,000.

Albaytar added Paje took over the drug business after his boss, Mohaisin Magundacan, was arrested last month.

Paje is facing charges in violation of Section 5 of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and is presently detained at Police Station 2./DGB, WDJ