6 drug suspects arrested in GenSan raid

Operatives inventory the items seized during the raid. Photo courtesy of PDEA-12

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) — Six suspects were arrested during a raid around 7:55 a.m. Monday on a house in General Santos City suspected to be a drug den.

The operation was carried out by agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 with the assistance of local police personnel.

Paul John Rico, 22, a fish port worker who was the target of the operation, was arrested along with five alleged drug den visitors four of whom were identified only as Bombit, 37; Awing, 27; Rauf, 33; and Nel, 38.

The authorities padlocked the alleged drug den located in Zone 2, Block 0, Barangay Fatima

Kath Abad, PDEA-12 spokesperson, said Rico was selling illegal drugs. She said the operation was based on a tip from concerned citizens and was conducted after three weeks of investigation.

Operatives seized 21 grams of shabu with an estimated value of P142,800.00 and drug paraphernalia from the suspects.

Armeda Nerona, mother of Paul John, said she knew about her son’s alleged illegal activity and wasn’t surprised by the arrest.

The six suspects are now in the custody of authorities while charges are being prepared against them. (Richelyn Gubalani/MindaNews)