PDEA-7, police bust drug den in Tangke, Talisay City

Eight persons, including the alleged drug den operator, are held inside the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) office in Cebu City, following the drug bust in Sitio Sawsawan, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City in the evening of  Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. | Photo by Benjie Talisic

CEBU CITY,  Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) and the Talisay City Police Station busted a drug den being operated in a densely-populated coastal village of the city on Saturday night and arrested the den’s operator and seven others.

The police and PDEA-7 were led by anti-drug agent named Dave to the drug den, which was located in Sitio Sawsawan, Barangay Tangke, a coastal village in Talisay City, and seized around P81,600 worth of shabu, placed in several sachets, from drug den operator Nonilito Tapac, a resident of the place.

Talisay City is Cebu’s gateway to the southern section of the island and only around 13 kilometers from Cebu City via the South Road Properties (SRP).

PDEA7- spokesperson Leia Albiar said they implemented the operation in the evening of Saturday, February 9,  following days of surveillance and after confirming that Tapac maintained three rooms in the drug den and preyed on low-income users by selling shabu for as low as P20 per sachet.

The six other persons caught inside the drug den were all taken into custody and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act, before the court on Monday, February 11, according to Albiar.

The six, all of whom are now detained at the PDEA-7 detention facility together with Tapac, were identified by the agency as Marie Balingit, Erwin Janoras, Gregorio Albora lll, Rolando Bendanillo,  Ronnie Diabelos, Ryan Seares and Alejandro Cabardo Jr. /elb