A 33-year-old man was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Iwahig, Bataraza on Wednesday, July 2, after allegedly selling suspected shabu to an undercover police officer.
Identified only by the alias “Alden,” the suspect was caught by operatives from the Bataraza Municipal Police Station (MPS) after he allegedly handed over a sachet of suspected illegal drugs weighing around five grams in exchange for ₱13,000.
But the deal didn’t end there.
Upon searching the suspect’s black sling bag, authorities said they recovered a second sachet, reportedly of similar weight. The seized substances are now undergoing laboratory examination to confirm their chemical composition, though police have estimated the total street value at more than ₱65,000.
The operation was part of the continued anti-drug efforts in southern Palawan, where authorities say trafficking and distribution are becoming more frequent.
The suspect is now in the custody of Bataraza MPS and is facing charges for violating Sections 5 and 11 of Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The recovered evidence has been submitted for laboratory testing.
