Police operatives seized close to P2 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested a suspect during a buy-bust operation at Barangay Boloc-boloc in Negros Oriental’s Sibulan town on Sunday, August 13.

The 42-year-old suspect identified as Ian Rey Derama Completo, a resident of Villa Pastoral in Dumaguete City’s Barangay Batinguel, was arrested after he allegedly sold suspected shabu to an undercover operative.

Lt. Stephen Polinar, deputy chief of the Police Community Affairs and Development Unit (PCADU) of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), said yesterday Completo yielded more or less 265 grams of suspected shabu valued at P1.8 million.

“The suspect is a high-value individual on the police’s list of drug personalities and has been under close surveillance for months now,” Polinar said.

A complaint for violation of Section 5 (possession) and Section 11 (sale) of illegal drugs of Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act was filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against the suspect, he added.

Polinar said the arrest of Completo comes amid ongoing massive synchronized police operations in the province against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality.

The weekend operation was conducted jointly by the Sibulan police, the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit and the Provincial Intelligence Unit of NOPPO and in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the province, Sibulan police chief, Major Ricky Dacotdacot, said. (PNA)