6 drug den operators arrested in PDEA Koronadal City operation

COTABATO CITY — Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 arrested six operators of a clandestine drug den in an entrapment operation in Barangay General Paulino Santos in Koronadal City on Wednesday, September 4.

Aileen Lovitos, director of PDEA-12, told reporters on Thursday that the six suspects, Michael Tinapian, John Tinapian, Soraida Ibad, Mitsalvir Navales, Emmanuel Dela Cruz and Michael Ortiz, were immediately detained after selling to their agents and policemen P41,800 worth of shabu in a tradeoff right in their drug den in Purok Nagkakaisa in Barangay General Paulino Santos.

Lovitos said the operation that resulted in their arrest and confiscation from them of P41,800 worth of shabu, a fragmentation grenade and two rounds of gauge 12 shotgun ammunition, was laid with the help of local executives in Koronadal City, the capital of South Cotabato and the director of the Region 12 police, Brig. Gen. James Gulmatico.

Lovitos said PDEA-12 agents also found shabu sniffing paraphernalia inside the drug den of the now detained suspects, to be prosecuted for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.