A sting operation conducted by the Virac police led to the arrest of a member of the Sorreda robbery gang last week.
The police report identified the suspect as a certain “Elay,” 32, a jobless resident of Palnab del Norte, although a source gave up his name as Jose Benhur dela Cruz.
According to the report, the Virac police leaded by PCMS Louie Garcia launched the entrapment operation upon learning from an informant that dela Cruz was looking for a buyer of a gun.
An undercover policeman posed as a buyer, with the transaction going down at the relocation site at San Isidro Village last May 22, 2022 at 2:20 PM.
The suspect was arrested as soon as he handed over a Cal. 38 pistol with two bullets to the poseur-buyer. A search also turned up six sachets of suspected shabu as well as the boodle money used to pay for the gun.
Laboratory examination later showed that the illegal drugs seized from him weighed a total of 8.553 grams with a street value of P58,000.
Dela Cruz will be charged with violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act in relation to COMELEC Resolution No. 10728, or the election gun ban, as well as RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.
It may be recalled that last April 20, 2022, Francisco Arroyo Sorreda, 32, also known as “Kanor” and a construction worker from Marcelo Alberto, yielded a Cal. 38 revolver loaded with three bullets which he tried to sell for P4,000 to a law enforcer in barangay Concepcion.
A body search also yielded a plastic sachet of suspected shabu.
Twin complaints for violation of Republic Act 10591 and the election gun ban, as well as possession of dangerous drugs in violation of RA 9165 have been filed against him.
The police said Sorreda had been arrested before and jailed for possession of illegal drugs and is considered the leader of the Sorreda gang in Virac believed responsible for theft and robbery incidents in the capital town as well as for the sale of guns and illegal drugs.