P6.5M shabu seized in Cebu City within 24 hours; 4 ‘high value targets’ nabbed

Jesse Chris Tura (wearing red shirt) is considered by police as a high-value target (HVT). He was arrested with more than P1 million worth of illegal drugs in his possession in Barangay Pasil on Saturday, August 24. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / Police Major Kenneth Albotra

CEBU CITY, Philippines — In barely 24 hours of separate operations, the police in Cebu City have confiscated at least P6.5 million worth of illegal drugs and arrested four high-value targets (HVTs) listed in the regional drug watchlist.

The latest drug bust was conducted by the Waterfront Police Station in Barangay Tejero at 2:30 p.m. today, Saturday, August 24, that led to the arrest of Arvin Barentos, 38, of Minglanilla town; and Weamsy Bayang, 20,  a resident of Barangay Guadalupe of this city.

Read more: Two men nabbed with P2M shabu in Tejero

According to Police Senior Master Sergeant Erasmo Rosel Jr. of the Waterfront police, Barentos and Bayang were under surveillance for three weeks before their arrest. They went around Cebu City dropping off illegal drugs to their clients using a motorcycle, mostly driven by Bayang, he said.

Barentos used to be a glass installer in Minglanilla but the police have no background information yet on Bayang, added Rosel.

The two men were caught with around 300 grams of suspected shabu (crystal meth) valued at P1.95 million.

Barentos and Bayang were the third batch of suspects apprehended with million-pesos worth of drugs since Friday night.

Earlier, at around 4 a.m. of Saturday, the San Nicolas Police arrested Jesse Chris Inoc Tura inside his house on L. Flores Street in Barangay Pasil and seized from him a one medium-sized and one large-sized plastic packs of illegal drugs valued at P1.054 million.

Police Major Kenneth Paul Albotra, chief of the San Nicolas Police, said Tura could possibly be a member of a drug group whose main supplier is inside the city jail. This information was still being verified, he added.

Shortly before midnight on Friday, August 23, police collared Ludevico Abadiez, 29, in a drug raid in Sitio Bato, Barangay Ermita and caught him with 520 grams of shabu valued at P3.536 million.

Abadiez was a known drug pusher in the area, said Police Major Kenneth Paul Albotra, chief of San Nicolas Police Station./elb

Read more: 2 HVTs nabbed with P4 million illegal drugs