CCPO drug haul: P30.6 million ‘shabu’ in first 3 days of 2020

Among the confiscated packed of illegal drugs since January 1, 2020, weighed at least two kilos and valued at P13.8 million, which were found in the house of Nicanor Tabanas Cabornay, 52, from Sitio Capulan, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on . | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — It has only been the third day of this year, but the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) already confiscated at least P30.6 million worth of illegal drugs from their operations since January 1, 2020.

The latest operations were conducted between 11 p.m. on Thursday, January 2 and past 1 a.m. on Friday, January 3, along Escario Street, Barangay Kamputhaw and  at Sitio Capalucan, Barangay Tisa, respectively.

At least P20 million worth of suspected shabu (crystal meth) were confiscated from the suspects of the two separate operations.

Nicanor Tabanas Cabornay, 52, from Sitio Capulan, yielded the biggest illegal drug possession, which reach more than two kilos of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P13.8 million, during the close to midnight drug bust on Thursday.

Less than two hours later, Dexter Caballero, 46, from Barangay Hipodromo and Winston Gacasan, 18, from Barangay Sambag 1, were arrested with 900 grams of suspected shabu valued at P6.6 million.

On Wednesday night, January 1, Norman Flores Burgos, 37, was arrested along Osmeña Boulevard with P9.6 million worth of illegal drugs while Manuel Mari Galapin, 18 was found in possession of  P612,000 worth of packed suspected shabu around 1 a.m. along Barangay Lorega San Miguel.

All four operations  yielded  4.5 kilos of suspected shabu, with the corresponding Dangerous Drugs Board value of P30.612 million.

Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said there will be more buy-bust operations in the city as they strengthen their intelligence monitoring and the programs to forge closer ties with the communities for better coordination with the public when it comes to information about the illegal drug trade in their areas.

Soriano said they will also focus on tracing the sources of those who will be arrested to cut off the entire drug supply.

Police patrols will also be intensified for speedy response time and to encourage residents to keep on calling their hotline numbers to report about drug personalities in their areas without worrying about their safety when they do so, Soriano added.

“Wala naman pong physical harm na meron ito eh (There is no physical harm involved here). They can just text the information, specific location, kami na po ang mag reresponde (and we can take care of the rest). No need to introduce themselves,” said Soriano, referring to informants.

Soriano assured the police will respond to all the tips they will receive, adding they are ready to be criticized if the public won’t be able to see the police acting on these informations.

But with the latest drug haul, Soriano said they are already starting to see the result of their intensified operations, which will kick into higher gear during Sinulog Festival celebration, as they  anticipated more drugs to enter Cebu along with the influx of local and foreign guests.

“You will see in the coming days kung ano ang magiging result ng aming (what will be the result of our) operations,” said Soriano./elb