Drug raids in 4 cities in Cebu yield P500K worth of shabu

More than half a million pesos worth of suspected illegal drugs were confiscated and 18 people were arrested in seven separate anti-illegal drug operations in the Metro Cebu cities of Danao, Cebu, Talisay and Lapu-Lapu in two days.

First to strike on Friday dawn was the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Danao Police Station who conducted two separate buy-bust operations in

Barangays Sabang and Looc in Danao City, a northern city at least 40 km from Cebu City.

Chief Insp. Gerard Ace Pelare, Danao City Police Station chief, said that they arrested Lester Lawas, Elizar Capuyan, Cyrus Duterte, Reynaldo Murillo, Alfie Murillo and Junrey Murillo, who were allegedly caught selling suspected shabu during the operation.

Pelare said Karol Jhon Banzon and Jason Almoragie, who are both of legal age, were also arrested after they were caught allegedly sniffing shabu during the Danao busts.

Pelare said they also confiscated 61 sachets of suspected shabu, weighing 3.05 grams with an estimated street value of P36,000 according to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

Next to strike was the Cebu City Police’s Drug Enforcement Unit, who conducted two separate buy-bust operations in Barangays Calamba and Suba on Friday evening.

The Cebu City Police raid in Barangay Calamba also yielded the second biggest haul in the seven separate raids in the four cities.

Chief Insp. Christopher Navida, Cebu City Police Office DEU chief, said that they confiscated 15 grams of suspected shabu from a couple – Juvy Taboada, 38, and her partner Marlon Tejano of legal age – during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Calamba at past 10 p.m. on Friday.

Navida said according to the DDB, the confiscated shabu was worth P129,800.

In another operation at about the same time in Barangay Suba, police also arrested Shani Dacua, 31, and Albert Rafols of legal age.

They were caught with 15 sachets of suspected shabu.

In the early evening, however, the Lapu-Lapu Police Office Drug Enforcement Unit and the City Intelligence Branch (CIB), also arrested four persons during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Litob, Barangay Kalawisan.

Chief Insp. Mark Gifter Sucalit of the CIB said that they arrested Sheena Amoin, 24; Remond delos Santos, 28; Albert Tampus, 38; and John Eric dela Torre, 20, during the buy-bust operation.

Sucalit said that they confiscated 56 sachets of suspected shabu from the suspects, which has estimated worth of P20,000 based on the DDB street value of the suspected drugs.

The sixth and seventh operations were conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) in Talisay City on Saturday dawn.

PDEA-7 Director Emerson Margate said at past 2 a.m., the PDEA agents conducted a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tangke, and arrested Diosdada Aguilar, 60.

Diosdada was caught with 50 grams of suspected shabu.

Margate said the confiscated drugs were estimated to be worth P250,000 based on the DDB values.
An hour later, PDEA-7 agents conducted another buy-bust operation in Barangay Biasong also in Talisay City and arrested Dandi Bas, 26.

Bas was caught with five packs of suspected shabu weighing at least 20 grams.
Margate said that the confiscated suspected shabu was worth P100,000 based on DDB values.

The 18 suspects were detained at the different detention cells of the Metro Cebu cities police offices pending the filing of drug charges./With a report from Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza