Drug Den Busted in Ipil, ZamboangaSibugay; Four Arrested in Joint Anti-Drug Raid

By Sherman Calotes | Philippine People's Press 

Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay — Authorities dismantled a suspected drug den and arrested four individuals during a joint anti-drug operation conducted in Barangay Taway on Thursday, July 18.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) led the midday raid in Purok Young Dreamers, backed by the Philippine Army's 106th Infantry Battalion, the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU-ZSBY), and the Ipil Municipal Police Station.

Armed with Search Warrant No. 303 issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 24, 9th Judicial Region, the law enforcers launched the operation at around 12:05 PM, resulting in the arrest of four residents of the area.

The suspects were identified only by their aliases as Gabriel, 21, a student; Mark, 20, a mechanic; Mycho, 21, a student; and Jherime, 18, also a student.

Seized from the scene were nine heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu, weighing approximately 15 grams. Also confiscated were an open-ended plastic sachet containing suspected shabu, an aluminum foil strip used as an improvised gutter with traces of drug residue, and various drug paraphernalia.

The four suspects are facing multiple charges for violating key provisions of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. These include Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den), Section 7 (Employees and Visitors of a Drug Den), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia).

Authorities emphasized that the successful operation demonstrates continued efforts to eradicate illegal drug activities in the province through coordinated law enforcement actions.

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