MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga — Seven individuals allegedly involved in illegal drug trade were arrested in a coordinated anti-narcotics operation here on Saturday afternoon (May 17), authorities reported.
Agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Aurora Provincial Office, in collaboration with PDEA Pampanga, Regional Office III (RO3) Special Enforcement Team, and the Mabalacat City Police Station, conducted the buy-bust operation in Barangay Marcos Village, yielding approximately 10 grams of suspected shabu worth Php 68,000.
The suspects, identified only by their aliases as BULABOG (34), NER (32), VINO (20), MER (32), WIN (29), BEN (45), and BOY (26), all residents of the barangay, were caught after allegedly selling illegal drugs to an undercover agent.
Authorities recovered nine plastic sachets of suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia, and marked cash used in the sting. The seized substances will undergo forensic analysis at the PDEA RO3 laboratory to confirm their composition.
“This operation underscores our relentless efforts to dismantle drug networks, even in grassroots communities,” said the PDEA team leader, who requested anonymity due to the nature of their work.
The suspects are now detained and will face charges under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which carries life imprisonment and heavy fines for convicted offenders.
Authorities urged the public to report drug-related activities through official hotlines, emphasizing community cooperation in curbing narcotics proliferation.
