Talisay buy-busts net 4 suspects, yield P300K shabu

Common law couple, Richard Torreon and Bernadith Marinay are the first to fall in the Talisay City anti-drug operation on August 8. | contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines —Two separate anti-illegal drug operations in Talisay City in 13 hours yielded P300,000 worth of suspected shabu and netted four drug suspects.

First to fall were Richard Torreon, 37, and his common law wife, Bernadith Marinay, 22, during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tabunok at past 11 p.m. on Thursday, August 8.

Confiscated from the common law couple were 15 grams of suspected shabu which had a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P106,000, said Police Captain Nazareno Emia, Talisay City Police Station deputy station commander.

Emia said that Torreon and Marinay were from Tagunol Street in Barangay San Nicolas in Cebu City, but they transferred to Barangay Tabunok in Talisay City where they rented an apartment.

He said that they conducted the buy-bust operation after they received several complaints and reports about the couples alleged illegal activities.

Read more: Two drug operations in Cebu City: P4M marijuana destroyed, P500K shabu seized

Emia said that they conducted a followup operation at past noon on August 9, Friday, after the couple revealed where they got their supply of illegal drugs.

Fidel Saavedra and Maissa Ramirez are caught with P220,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Talisay City on Friday, August 9. | Contributed photo

He said that they then conducted another buy-bust operation in Sitio Mansueto also in Barangay Tabunok and arrested Fidel Saavedra, 23, and his alleged aide, Maissa Ramirez, 29, of Minglanilla town in southern Cebu.

Saavedra and Ramirez were caught with 22 grams of suspected shabu.

Emia said that the confiscated shabu had an estimated DDB value of P220,000.

The four suspects were detained at the Talisay City Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges./dbs