A mother and her daughter, both classified as high-value individuals (HVIs) in the regional drug trade, were apprehended by authorities in a midnight buy-bust operation in Barangay Simon Ledesma, Jaro, Iloilo City, early Tuesday morning, April 21.
The arrested individuals were identified only as aliases “Welnie,” 64, and her daughter, alias “Pani,” 37.
The two, who had been under intense surveillance for nearly a month prior to the arrest, are jobless residents of the city.
The operation, conducted by the Iloilo City Police Office – City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU), also resulted in the seizure of 10 heat-sealed transparent sachets of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), weighing roughly 70 grams with a total estimated street value of P476,000.
The ICPO-CDEU was joined by multiple units, including the Iloilo Maritime Police Station, the ICPO Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, and the Station Drug Enforcement Team of Police Station 9.
Also recovered from the scene were marked buy-bust money and various non-drug related items.
Police Brigadier General Josefino D. Ligan, Police Regional Office (PRO-6) director, lauded the joint task force for the successful apprehension.
“I commend our personnel for their dedication and commitment to eliminating the drug menace in the region. This accomplishment is not only ours but also that of the community,” he stated.
The suspects are currently in police custody and will face several charges for violating Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. IMT
