Over P2.3 million in shabu seized in separate anti-drug operations

War against drugs

At least 58 drug suspects were arrested in separate operations in the city and province of Cebu since Thursday.

Over P2.3 million worth of shabu were confiscated during these operations.

Forty-one of the 58 suspects were arrested in yet another “One Time, Big Time” operation throughout Cebu City on Thursday morning.

Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said the suspects were arrested in simultaneous drug busts conducted by all 11 police stations in the city as well as the City Intelligence Branch.

Cebu City policemen seized a total of at least 80.04 grams valued at P617,459.

Doria said they are planning to conduct simultaneous operations every week.

“There are just people who don’t want to stop their involvement in illegal drugs. They want easy money. But the police will also do our job,” Doria said.

In Barangay Poblacion Ward I, Minglanilla town, police arrested two suspected drug pushers and seized packs of shabu weighing 115 grams, valued at P1.4 million, in a drug bust past 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Sonny Boy Alivio, 23, and Maryjun Ortega, 25, turned over a pack of shabu to an undercover agent, said Senior Insp. Reslyn Abella, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas.

Also seized from the suspects were P1,500 cash believed to be proceeds from illegal activities.

Based on their monitoring, Doria said the supply of shabu has dwindled due to the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency noted that the street price of shabu has gone up, noting that five grams of shabu, which used to be sold at P6,500 last year, now costs between P13,500 to P15,000.

In Danao City, five suspected drug addicts were allegedly caught sniffing shabu during an anti-drug operation along Olivar Street in Barangay Poblacion, Danao City.

Personnel from the Danao City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit in coordination with Special Weapons and Tactics chanced upon the suspect while conducting an operation past 2 a.m. Thursday.

The suspects were identified as Rodel Pajares, 23; Juniel Formentera, 22; Junell Laurito, 19; Bernardo Mojado, 20; and a minor.

According to PO3 Ronald Gomez, the five suspects were sent to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Detention Center pending the filing of charges against them.

“We had to detain the suspects somewhere else because we don’t have a holding cell in our police station,” he said.

Seized from them were five small plastic sachets of alleged shabu worth P2,950 and drug paraphernalia.

Another police operation in Danao City resulted in the arrest of a certain Glenn Tapayan who allegedly turned over a pack of shabu to a poseur buyer in a drug bust in Barangay Poblacion past 2 a.m. on Friday.

Seized from Tapayan were packs of shabu worth P248,390 and P1,300 cash believed to proceeds from an illegal drug trade.

In San Fernando town, three persons were arrested in another anti-illegal drug operation past 1 a.m. on Friday.

Seized from Julie Secuya, Darius Caballero and Arnulfo Secuya were a medium-sized plastic pack of shabu and a .45 caliber gun.

In Cordova town, three drug addicts were arrested for allegedly sniffing shabu in an open shanty in Barangay Cansubing at 1:30 pm last Thursday.

The suspects were identified as Orlando Tura, 43; Robin Tirol, 44; and Anamarie Garcia, 24.

Two small sachets of shabu were confiscated from the suspects.

In Lapu-Lapu City, three persons were arrested in a buy-bust operation at 12 midnight Friday.

The suspects were identified as Joseph Flores, 37; Regie Pino, 30; and Roberto Igot, 35.

Seized from them were packs of shabu worth P50,000, .45 caliber pistol, and three ampules of Nubain.