Fugitive cop tagged in drug ring nabbed

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  - - A fugitive former police officer, wanted for supplying and running of illegal drugs in southern Philippines, was captured Thursday night by the joint intelligence operatives and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a safehouse in Las Piñas City, according to police here.

The suspect is identified as Police Officer 3 Pon Mohammad, an associate of Margani Samla alias Bin Laden - who  was tagged as drug lord operating in this city and was captured in May last year.

Mohammad and Samla have a standing warrant of arrest for illegal possession of firearms and explosive, illegal drugs, and murder.

Mohammad was arrested by the joint elements of the NBI, Philippine Center for Transnational Crime (PCTC), Special Project Mindanao Khalifa Islamiya (SPMKI), Naval Intelligence Service Group (NISG), and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday in Gatchallian Village, Manuyo 2, Las Piñas City.

The police said Mohammad was allegedly involved in supplying and running of illegal drugs in the areas of Zamboanga City, Basilan, Sulu,  and Tawi-Tawi provinces.

The suspect is a relative of an incumbent mayor of an island town in Basilan.