Police drug enforcement teams arrested three suspects and seized more than P4.5 million worth of suspected shabu in a separate buy-bust operations in Bacolod City on Wednesday night, May 31, and yesterday morning.

The sting operations were conducted by personnel of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit-Western Visayas (RPDEU-6) and Bacolod City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (BCPO-CDEU) in two locations.

Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, operatives of RPDEU-6 apprehended two drug personalities who yielded P2.72 million in suspected shabu during a meet-up along Burgos Street in Barangay 10.

The suspects were identified as Jojo “Boy Tattoo” Segovia, 21 years old, resident of Purok Lampirong, Barangay 2; and Lijun Tayona, 35 years old, of Barangay Pahanocoy, both of the city.

Major Rommel Anicete, head of RPDEU-6, said Segovia, tagged as a high-value individual (HVI), can be considered as a drug runner, who initially transacted with them through online payment channels.

“Segovia is the main target while Tayona is the rider. He [Segovia] is in the regional top priority level. Our monitoring started this month, then we got a link so we were able to transact with him,” he added.

During the operation, Tayona sold five plastic sachets of suspected shabu worth P100,000 to a poseur-buyer.

Operatives recovered from the suspects 42 plastic sachets and two plastic bags of suspected shabu, including the buy-bust item, weighing about 400 grams with a standard drug price of P6,800 per gram.

Around 2:30 a.m. yesterday, operatives of BCPO-CDEU arrested suspect Malcomb Baron Marshall at his residence in Barangay Banago’s Purok Langis.

Also considered an HVI, Marshall, 24 years old, was caught red-handed selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P1,000 to an undercover policeman.

Seized from the suspect’s possession were 14 plastic sachets and five plastic bags of the same prohibited substance with a total volume of 262 grams valued at P1.78 million, along with P200 in cash.

“Tactical interrogation is still ongoing. This is to locate the source of illegal drugs, links and accomplices and for conduct of follow-up operation,” a report from the BCPO-CDEU said. (PNA)