2 of 32 men rounded up in Talisay City Sempo are high value targets – police

Some of 32 persons rounded up by the police in Talisay City for various drug-related cases during a Synchronized Enhancement Managing Police Operation (Sempo) in the city on Sept. 6, 2019. |CDND photo/Alven Marie Timtim

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two of the 32 men arrested in Talisay City during a series of anti-drug operations were high value targets, police said.

Police Major Orlando Carag Jr., Talisay City police chief, said the two men were among the persons caught either engaged in the illegal drugs trade or subject of search warrants during the joint Synchronized Enhancement Managing Police Operation (Sempo) in Sitio Mananga 1 and 2, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City this Friday, September 6, 2019.

Carag said the Sempo, which started at around 10 a.m. and ended past 6 p.m., resulted to the apprehension of the individuals who were caught buying and selling illegal drugs in the area or found to be in possession of illegal drugs upon search.

Carag declined to name the two big-time drug dealers as follow-up operations were still ongoing.

According to Carag, the operation had been planned since the last week of July 2019, after gathering informations from arrested drug personalities about the rampant and open drug peddling in the areas covered by the Sempo.

“Sabi nga noong initial na interview ko kanina, tumayo ka lang daw dun sa lugar nila at may mag bebenta lang,” said Carag.

(According to the initial interview I had [with the suspects], even if you just stand there in their area, someone will approach and sell drugs to you.)

The operation was a combination of five sets of buy-and-bust operations and another five search warrants served on the identified high-value drug personalities.

However, out of the five search warrants to be served to certain persons, only two were found and arrested. But even if the three other targets were not found, the police have disrupted the illegal trades in the area, he added.

Sempo, which is the official name for the police’s One-Time-Big-Time operation, also resulted to the confiscation of several sachets of suspected shabu and other drugs paraphernalia, the amount of which was still to be determined.

All of the 32 individuals are now undergoing booking and profiling at the Talisay City police station./elb