COTABATO CITY — Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested a drug den operator and his three accomplices in an entrapment operation in a barangay Cotabato City on Wednesday afternoon.

Gil Cesario P. Castro, director of PDEA-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), told reporters on Thursday that the suspects were immediately detained after selling to their agents and policemen P102,000 worth of crystal meth (shabu) in a tradeoff in Purok Siyete in Barangay Rosary Heights 9.

Mr. Castro said the operation that resulted in their arrest was assisted by policemen under units led by Col. Jibin M. Bongcayao, director of the Cotabato City police, and members of the 5th Marine Battalion and local executives.

Mr. Castro said will use the shabu seized from the four suspects as evidence in prosecuting them for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

PDEA-BARMM agents and policemen found drug sniffing paraphernalia in their drug den, now closed and guarded by barangay officials and volunteer community watchmen. — John Felix M. Unson