Bolinao: About PHP13.6 million worth of suspected shabu were seized in a buy-bust operation in Bolinao town in this province on Wednesday. Police said the operation, conducted at Purok 4 in Barangay Ilog-Malino, also resulted in the arrest of two high-value individuals and the confiscation of about 2,000 grams of suspected shabu.

According to Philippines News Agency, acting Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated that the successful operation proves that the police’s anti-illegal drugs campaign remains “steadfast and unrelenting.” “Every successful interdiction not only weakens criminal networks but also protects countless lives from the harm caused by these dangerous substances,” he said.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tua±o emphasized the importance of proactive policing and sustained inter-agency collaboration. He noted, “The continued partnership between the PNP, PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), and local units proves that teamwork is our strongest weapon against illegal drugs, keeping every community safe.”

The suspects, a 44-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, both residents of Bolinao, are currently under the custody of the Bolinao Municipal Police Station. Meanwhile, the confiscated narcotics have been turned over to the PNP Drug Enforcement Group – Special Operations Unit 3 for documentation and further investigation.

In a related development last month, 895 kg. of shabu valued at nearly PHP6.1 billion were discovered at a residential house in Barangay Laois, Labrador, Pangasinan, during a search warrant implementation. The drugs were seized during a follow-up operation linked to the arrest of a Chinese national and his Filipino driver in Barangay Polong, Bugallon, where authorities confiscated 125 kg. of shabu packed in plastic tea bags worth PHP850 million.