P1.3 million worth shabu seized from couple in Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Anti-narcotics operatives seized P1.3 million worth of shabu from a couple and arrested five drug den operators in separate operations Friday.

The spouses Kal Mangayag Zainal and Indag Muslima Zainal are now detained, to be prosecuted for violation of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Juvenal Azurin, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said Saturday the suspects were arrested Friday afternoon after turning over 200 grams of shabu to non-uniformed agents during a clandestine tradeoff in Barangay Kanguan in Datu Piang, Maguindanao.

The PDEA-BARMM Agents who carried out the sting placed at P1.3 million the value of the shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) they seized from the duo.

Azurin said the operation that resulted in the arrest of the Zainals was laid with the help of the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion under the 6th Infantry Division, the Datu Piang municipal police and other units from the Bangsamoro regional police.

“The operation was launched based on tips by relatives of the suspects and municipal officials in Datu Piang municipality,” Azurin said.

PDEA-BARMM agents also confiscated a Glock pistol they found in the red Mitsubishi Colt car of the suspects.

The suspects are now clamped down in the detention facility of PDEA-BARMM in Cotabato City, awaiting prosecution.

Zainal and his wife were nabbed about three hours after PDEA-BARMM agents arrested in Cotabato City the drug den operators Ali Uto Sampulna, Moamar Esmael, Rashid Sanduyugan, Juharto Tadtahan and Tato Silongan.

The five suspects voluntarily turned themselves in when they sensed that their drug den in Bulioa, a secluded area in Cotabato City, had been surrounded by anti-narcotics agents and personnel of the Cotabato City police, guns aimed at them. 

Azurin said members of the police’s Highway Patrol Group helped carry out the operation that resulted in the arrest of the five drug dealers.

Azurin said he is thankful to the barangay officials who provided tips on the group’s illegal activities.

PDEA-BARMM agents confiscated from them 10 grams of shabu and a mobile phone with numbers of their contacts in the city and in nearby towns in Maguindanao.