By CESAR JOLITO III

Two separate police operations conducted in Negros Occidental’s Silay City and E.B. Magalona led to the arrest of four individuals for violations of anti-drug and anti-illegal gambling laws.

In Silay, operatives nabbed a 42-year-old construction worker identified only as alias “Ry-ry” during a buy-bust operation at Zone 1, Barangay Mambulac on Sunday, November 9, at 4:17 p.m.

Confiscated from the suspect were approximately three grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P20,400.

Police said the suspect sold a heat-sealed plastic sachet containing suspected shabu to an undercover officer in exchange for marked money.

Authorities immediately informed the suspect of his constitutional rights before detaining him at the Silay custodial facility.

The seized drug items were inventoried in accordance with Section 21 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and subsequently turned over to the Negros Occidental Provincial Forensic Unit in Bacolod City for examination.

Meanwhile, in E.B. Magalona, intelligence operatives arrested three men in an anti-illegal gambling operation for violating Presidential Decree 1602.

The suspects were identified by police as alias “Jeff,” 26 years old, a Wi-Fi installer; alias “Toto,” 19 years old, a student; and alias “Berto,” 50 years old, a delivery helper — all residents of Barangay San Jose, E.B. Magalona.

Police said the operation targeted all forms of illegal gambling activity, commonly referred to locally as “Bug-oy.”

The three suspects were apprehended and brought to the municipal police station for the filing of appropriate charges./CJ, WDJ