By CESAR JOLITO III

A 30-year-old woman was reportedly using her sari-sari store as a front for selling illegal drugs following the confiscation of P782,000 worth of suspected shabu in Bacolod City’s Barangay 10 on Sunday, January 4.

The operation, conducted by the City Drug Enforcement Unit of the Bacolod City Police Office, targeted the high-value drug suspect identified only by her alias “Jan,” a resident of Purok Magtiayon in the village.

Authorities said the buy-bust was executed following verified information from a confidential informant and in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

During the operation, law enforcement seized one sachet of shabu used in the buy-bust; four additional sachets in her possession; two knot-tied sachets of suspected shabu; a P1,000 bill used in the transaction; and other non-drug items.

Operatives said the suspect had been using her variety store as a front, where customers would pass by and buy shabu.

All seized items were documented and marked on-site with body-worn cameras, and the drugs were submitted to the provincial police’s forensic unit for laboratory testing.

She is now in police custody and faces charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./CJ, WDJ