6 drug suspects nabbed in Bicol buy-busts

LEGAZPI CITY—Six suspected drug traders were arrested in separate buy-bust operations on Thursday, June 23, in Camarines Sur and Albay provinces.

Aldrin Valenzuela, 32, was arrested at around 7:30 p.m. at Barangay Santiago in Pili town, Camarines Sur.

Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said authorities recovered suspected "shabu" (crystal meth) worth P2,000 and P500 marked money.

Valenzuela is a newly identified drug personality in Pili.

In Magarao town, also in Camarines Sur, police arrested Nemesio Avenido, 33, during a separate buy-bust operation at around 11:45 p.m. in Barangay Casuray.

Recovered were four sachets of shabu worth P2,000 and other non-drug items.

In Camarines Sur's Tinambac town, Jessie Millares was also arrested at 5:20 p.m. in Barangay Sogod.

Authorities confiscated eight sachets of shabu worth P8,000 and a .38-caliber revolver with five live bullets.

Calubaquib said Millares was on the illegal drug watch list and had previously surrendered to the police.

In Naga City, Richard Diaz, 40, was arrested at 3:50 p.m. in Barangay Mabolo.

Authorities recovered 10 grams of shabu worth P68,000 from Diaz, who they tagged as a big-time drug personality.

In Albay, Jake Birata, 30, was arrested at 3:55 p.m. in Barangay Quinale, Tabaco City.

Confiscated were six sachets of shabu and P1,000 in buy-bust money.

Meljohn Mailo Lobereza, 29, was also arrested at 4:29 p.m. in Barangay Victory Village, Legazpi City.

Calubaquib said police recovered from Lobereza a sachet of shabu and a .38-caliber revolver with four bullets. INQ

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