A couple was arrested and packs of suspected shabu worth more than P1 million were seized in what the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) described as their biggest haul this year.
Reynaldo Mabulis, 44, and his 46-year-old wife, Elvera, were arrested after they agreed to sell shabu worth P55,000 to poseur-buyer in a drug buy-bust operation in barangay Calawisan yesterday dawn.
“This is our biggest catch so far this year in terms of volume of drugs,” said Senior Insp. Rogelio Pineda Jr., chief of the intelligence branch of LLCPO.
Pineda said the suspects, who live in barangay Labangon, Cebu City, are considered level two drug pushers capable of selling between 150 and 250 grams of shabu per week.
The couple allegedly sold illegal drugs in different barangays in Lapu-Lapu.
Pineda said this particular haul of illegal drugs had a street value of P1,080,000.
The suspects are detained at the LLCPO Headquarters pending the filing of charges against them, police said.
The couple was arrested after transacting with a police decoy who used marked money to buy a medium-sized pack of shabu worth P55,000.
Pineda said they learned about the couple’s alleged illegal drug activities through text messages sent by a concerned citizen.
The couple was placed under surveillance for four days before a buy-bust was made, said Pineda.
Police said the couple agreed to meet the poseur-buyer in Zone Lato.
The couple arrived in the agreed meeting place aboard a taxi. They were then arrested when the shabu and money changed hands, police said.
Two large packs of suspected shabu were seized from the couple’s possession, police said.
“This is a big help and a triumph of the city’s campaign against illegal drugs.” said Senior Supt.
Armando Radoc, officer-in-charge of LLCPO.
Radoc said police have been visiting barangays as part of the campaign to convince the community be more involved in the fight against illegal drugs.
“We consider it as a result of community participation towards solving criminality,” Radoc said.