Senior Supt. Joel Doria, Cebu City Police Office director, checks out the 10 kilos shabu seized during an operation on Saturday night. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Cebu City policemen seized close to P121 million worth of shabu in what police described as the biggest drug haul in the Central Visayas since President Rodrigo Duterte launched an intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
The drug was found in the house of couple Mark and Mercy Abellana, who did not resist arrest when the operatives barged into their home in Sitio Kalubihan, Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City at around 9 p.m. Saturday.
“They are considered high value targets. Good that they did not fight back. Now, we could get more information from them with regard to their illegal operations,” said Chief Inspector Christopher Navida, head of the Cebu City Police Office’s City Intelligence Branch who led the operation along with the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (CAIDSOT).
He said they were now preparing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, against the couple. The offense is non-bailable.
The suspects, who have two children aged 7 and 9, denied the accusations.
“Dili na amoa. (The packs of shabu are not ours),” said Mercy in an interview.
They also denied living in the house where the packs of shabu were seized.
Seized from their possession were about 10 kilograms of shabu with a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P120,950,000.
No firearms were recovered from the Abellana couple.
“So far, this is the biggest drug haul in Central Visayas,” Navida said.
Navida said the source of the drugs was Mark’s brother, Michael, who is detained at the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
He said they still have to conduct an investigation to find out who are the other contacts of the Abellana couple.