An unemployed resident of Botinagan, Viga faces a criminal charge for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2003 after a court-ordered search turned up eight sachets of shabu.
According to the report, personnel of the Viga police station, Provincial Intelligence Unit and the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), implemented the search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 42 Presiding Judge Genie G. Gapas-Agbada at the room occupied by suspect Jose Tonio Atijano Jr., 46, at 4:20 AM of July 6, 2022.
The search resulted in his arrest and the confiscation of eight small sachets of suspected shabu weighing about 0.38 grams and with an estimated value of P25,840.00, as well as two small empty sachets.
The operation comes 10 days after the Virac police station, together with the PIU and 2nd PMFC conducted a gun buy-bust operation against one Crisel Antonio Samudio, 25, in San Isidro Village last June 26.
A member of the Sorreda robbery gang and a high-value target in the anti-illegal drug campaign, he reportedly tried to sell an improvised shotgun with four pieces of ammunition to an undercover policeman.
It is claimed that Samudio was convicted on a drug charge in 2017 and underwent probation after pleading guilty to a less serious offense.