Live-in couple nabbed, yields 124-million shabu in Bacolod
BACOLOD CITY - A couple and an alleged cohort were arrested in a buy-bust operation, which also resulted in the confiscation of 124-million worth of suspected, in Barangay Handumanan here on Tuesday, September 29.
Police operatives arrested prime suspect Carline Lunares, 23; her partner Nester Brinosa, 23; and her brother Richard Lunares, 30, the couple’s alleged drug runner.
Operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit-6 (RDEU-6), along with the Special Operations Unit 7 Philippine National Police (PNP)-Drug Enforcement Group, and City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), launched the operation after almost a month of surveillance.
The operation came after a series of huge drug hauls by the police here and in Negros Occidental in the past week, which targeted high value targets in illegal drugs.
RDEU-6 Head Lt. Thurslie Castillo said Carline was a listed high value individual, and one of the top priorities in the region’s campaign against illegal drugs. She was also reportedly connected to a drug group operating in the city, he added.
She is known as the “bodegera” or warehouseman from where other drug pushers get their supply of illegal drugs in the area, Castillo added.
“With the help of our informant, we were able to transact with Carline’s brother, and upon our transaction with him, he was able to lead us to the said venue,” Castillo said.
Authorities recovered during the operation 2.4 kilos of suspected shabu, and the 1 11,000 marked money.
Castillo said he cannot divulge any other information related to the huge drug recovery since other big drug personalities were involved in drug trade. The persons behind the illegal activity were armed and dangerous, he added.
He said there were many drug players in the city and province, adding that the contraband was even directly sourced out from the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
“Kaliwaan na, wala ng consignment. Palitan agad, pera at item. Minsan gumagamit pa ng courier services,” he added.
He said that some of the recovered illegal drugs were already packed and ready for distribution.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, PRO-6 director, lauded the operating team for another successful buy-bust operation.
According to Pamuspusan, the arrest of the three suspects will momentarily stop the operations of Carline’s downlines. “We are after the listed personalities so we could get their connections too,” he said.
The three suspects are now under the custody of Police Station 10 for filing of charges for sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs.