2 Bicol drug ‘peddlers’ nabbed, yields P6.8M shabu
TWO top drug traffickers in the Bicol region were arrested by agents of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) of the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) after they conspired to sell a kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million to an undercover officer in Naga City past 5:00 a.m. last Friday, PRO5 director, Brigadier General Jonnel C. Estomo said.
In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Dionardo B. Carlos, the PRO5 director identified the arrested suspects as Hiroji Tesorero, 39, of Santiago 3 Street in Barangay Peñafrancia in Naga City and Froilan Teves, 41, driver, residing in Bgy. Timbang in Minalabac, Camarines Sur.
Brig. Gen. Estomo said that the two were arrested in a buy-bust operation along C5 Road in Bgy. Mabolo, Naga City 5:15 a.m. by undercover officers from the PRO5-RDEU under Lt. Col. Jerry M. Alvarez.
An RDEU team led by Lt. Dennis Altez recovered a plastic sachet containing 100 grams of the “poor man’s cocaine” (shabu) sold by the suspects to the poseur and the P300,000 worth of buy-bust money topped by a marked P500 bill right after the sting.
The officers also confiscated 9 more plastic packets each containing 100 grams of shabu from the suspects when they were subjected to a search following the sting.
Brig. Gen. Estomo said they have received intelligence information that Tesorero is acting as a “bodegero” or warehouseman of a local drug group involved in the large-scale trafficking and distribution of shabu in the Bicol region from Metro Manila.
“We have reports that the suspects are responsible for the bulk distribution of shabu, particularly in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay,” he said in referring to the 2 who will be facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The offense is punishable with life imprisonment and a maximum fine of P10 million upon conviction by the court.
The Bicol Police director said that his men are still conducting follow-up operations to identify and arrest the other members of the drug ring as of press time.
He congratulated the team of Lt. Col. Alvarez as well as the Naga City Police DEU under Lt. Col. Edgar Butch Moraleda and the Naga City Police Office headed by Col. Nelson A. Pacalso for scoring the PRO5’s latest major accomplishment in their “war on drugs” in the Bicol region.
