The simultaneous drug raids by the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the cities of Cadiz, Bacolod and Silay in Negros Occidental during the weekend, led to the confiscation of more than P175,000 worth of suspected shabu, and the arrest of 12 suspects.

Supt. Remus Zacharias Canieso, officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, yesterday described the raid of a suspected drug den in Cadiz, that resulted in the arrest of four suspects and the recovery of about P175,000 worth of alleged shabu, as a major breakthrough.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Reginald Fuentebella, policemen, led by Supt. Noel Mana-ay, swooped down on the house of Jolito Alopenia Sr. in Brgy. Zone 4, Cadiz City Saturday.

The house was being used as a drug den, Chief Insp. Rico Santotome, chief of the NOPPO Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, said.

The raid at the house of Alopenia, 45, yielded six big packs and 18 small plastic sachets of suspected shabu and various paraphernalia, and a motorcycle.

Santotome said that the P24,568 recovered from the possession of Alopenia was believed to be proceeds from the sale of the prohibited drugs.

The raiding team of Cadiz policemen also arrested Precy Alopenia, live-in partner of Jolito, Sheila Mae Cainoy, 32, and Jerry Lipsie Ybiernas, 24, both of Barangay Banquerohan in the city.

Santotome said a person maintaining a drug den faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million, while employees and visitors of a den face a penalty of 12 years and one day to 20 years imprisonment once convicted, along with P100,000 to P500,000 in fines, under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Anti-Drugs Act of 2002.

On Saturday, three suspected shabu peddlers were also arrested by PDEA operatives in separate anti-narcotics operations in Purok Lampirong, Brgy. 2, Bacolod City.

Arrested were Stephanie Duadores, 25; Edgardo Derla, 39; and Miguel Tarog, 42.

PDEA Intelligence Officer 2 Alaine Cimafranca yesterday said the arrest of Duadores, Derla and Tarog yielded four sachets of suspected shabu and P1,000 in marked money.

Policemen headed by SPO1 Rayjay Rebadomia also arrested Lorene Canson, alias Daming, 44, during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Estaca, Brgy. Lantad, Silay City, a police report also said.

Supt. Rosauro Francisco, Silay police chief, said the arrest of Canson also yielded six sachets of suspected shabu and its paraphernalia, P300 marked money and P880 cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of the illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and BCPO Station 2 operatives arrested Ian Dionson, Alvin Abiner, Roberto Tabolong and Richard Aspan allegedly at a pot session in a house at Purok Sigay, also in Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, yesterday.

A suspected shabu tooter and a pen gun were recovered from Dionson during their arrest, a police report said.

On the other hand, the arrest of Rodney Bedol in Sitio Sool, Brgy. Rizal, Silay City, on July 8 also yielded three suspected marijuana cigarets, P60 in marked money and P20 cash believed to be derived from the sale of the prohibited drugs.*GPB/APN

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