A suspected drug dealer from Mandaue City, Cebu was arrested in an anti-drug operation in Tagbilaran City on Friday night.

Suspect Dominador Bartolata, 40, was allegedly caught in possession of 15 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P177,000.

In a report, police indicated that Bartolata, a resident of Basak, Mandaue City, was collared through a buy-bust operation led by Sr. Insp. Erano Regidor of the Tagbilaran City police at 1:50 p.m.

The suspect was allegedly caught red-handed selling illegal drugs to a police poseur-buyer worth P500 leading to his immediate arrest.

Police said that upon frisking Bartolata, they found one medium-sized sachet and 10 small packets containing suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia in his possession.

The suspect who had been renting an apartment in Purok 1, Barangay San Isidro in Tagbilaran City was reportedly spotted by authorities while monitoring persons in the police’s drug watch list.

Bartolata is now detained at the Tagbilaran City lock-up jail pending the filing of drug charges against him. (Weli Maetsrado)