10 caught in Taguig drug den raid

MANILA, Philippines – Ten persons, including two alleged drug traffickers, were arrested during a raid on a house in Barangay North Signal, Taguig City on Monday afternoon.

The house where suspected traffickers Melvin Alvarez, 38, and Chito Sales, 40, reside on Pili street was reportedly being used as a den where users can consume the shabu after buying a sachet from the two men, police said.

Alleged drug users Omar Marcelo, 48; Sandy Balondo, 44; Charmella Jarligo, 20; Charlaine Jarligo, 21; Jay Ar Lagoc, 28; Marcelo Cullado, 40; Joseph Sandoval, 33; and Jerry dela Cruz, 46, were also arrested during the raid. Except for Balondo, those arrested are residents of Taguig City.

An undercover police officer bought a sachet of shabu for P2,000 from Sales at the suspect’s house around 4 p.m.

As Sales handed four marked P500 bills to Alvarez, police officers raided the drug den, where they seized shabu with a street value of P75,000.

The seized narcotics were taken to the Southern Police District Crime Laboratory while the arrested suspects were detained at the Taguig police headquarters.