Yellow shabu: a marketing strategy?

Packs of the “yellow” shabu allegedly retrieved during a buy-bust operation are reportedly manufactured in Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/ADOR MAYOL)

Changing shabu’s color from white to yellow must be part of a marketing strategy to entice more buyers, a local legislator said.

“Yellow shabu is made to draw more buyers. Understandably, that is part of the strategy to invite users. And if it does, it becomes more sellable,” said Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak in an interview yesterday.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) on Friday seized about 305 grams of yellow shabu valued at P900,000 in two separate drug busts in Cebu City.

PDEA-7 Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz believes local drug traders have been manufacturing shabu by themselves since it has been hard for them to transport chemicals used in producing the illegal substance due to the government’s all-out war against illegal drugs.

A yellow shabu, which is produced locally, is “more potent and effective” and the price is basically the same as the white substance, Ruiz said.

Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they have yet to confiscate yellow shabu in police operations.

“On our part, we have not recovered those so-called yellow shabu yet, but we keep on monitoring,” he said.

Tumulak said there are probably drug traders in Cebu who resorted to producing shabu by themselves instead of having to wait for their contacts from abroad to send the illegal substances.

He urged law enforcement units and the public to be vigilant and to help authorities monitor possible shabu laboratories in the city and province of Cebu.

“Duda gyud ko nga dunay shabu laboratories diri sa Cebu. How come daghan lang gihapong shabu ang gibaligya bisan pa man sa kadaghan na nga na-confiscate sa atong law enforcement units?” Tumulak said.

(I really think there are shabu laboratories in Cebu. How come there are still several supplies of Cebu that are being sold despite the amount of shabu that were already confiscated?)

“Law enforcement units should double their efforts. Residents, for their part, should be proactive. If they notice any unusual activities in their neighborhood, please report it immediately to the police,” he added.

One indication that a shabu laboratory exists, Tumulak said, is the presence of container yards and if vehicles come in and out of the place.

“Let us also monitor our ports, subdivisions and warehouses, among others. We call on our barangay officials, fisherfolks and the public to help us,” he said.

Tumulak, deputy mayor on police matters, nonetheless thanked law enforcement units for their efforts to address the drug problem in the city.

“I hope they will do more in the hope of getting rid of the drug menace in Cebu City and in our country,” he said.