A youth council official was arrested after authorities seized from him suspected illegal drugs during a buy-bust operation in Talavera. Nueva Ecija.

Police said the suspect, a 22-year-old Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilor, was caught in Barangay Calipahan. He is a resident of Barangay Dinarayat and was listed by the Philippine National Police as a high-value individual.

Authorities said the suspect was the subject of surveillance by the drug enforcement unit of the Talavera Police Station before the operation.

Operatives seized four plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing about one gram, with an estimated value of around P6,800. Police also recovered P500 in marked money used in the operation.

The suspect is now detained at the Talavera Police Station and faces charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

He has yet to issue a statement regarding the allegations.