Tricycle driver yields P217K worth of shabu in Barangay Ermita buy-bust

At least 32 grams of suspected shabu with a dangerous drugs board value (DDB) of P217,000, were seized from a 38-year-old tricycle driver in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, this afternoon, February 25, 2020. | Photo Courtesy of Police Captain Alvin Llamedo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A tricycle driver who is considered a high-value target was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, around 1:30 p.m. today, February 25, 2020.

Police Captain Alvin Llamedo, chief of Carbon Police Station, identified the suspect as Jessie Sagayno Zaragosa, 38, of Mahayahay A. Lopez Street, Barangay Calamba.

Confiscated from Zaragosa were packs of suspected shabu weighing at least 32 grams with a dangerous drugs board value (DDB) of P217,000 and the marked money used in the bust.

Llamedo said Zaragosa has been under police monitoring for about three weeks after previously arrested drug personalities tagged him as their source of illegal drugs. The suspect was also named as a drug distributor in the Carbon area and allegedly could dispose about 50 grams of illegal drugs a week.

Zaragosa allegedly has connections inside the city jail whose names were saved on his phone.

Llamedo said they tried to call one of Zaragosa’s contacts but the person reportedly dropped the call when they asked the suspect to initiate a conversation.

“Murag naa silay code nga makabalo sila nga nadakpan na siya (It seems like they have a code that would help them know if the other person is already under police custody),” said Llamedo.

Llamedo added that they went to the house of Zaragosa to talk to his wife and arangaygather more information about the suspect’s background.

However, the wife was no longer inside their house when operatives arrived.

Llamedo said they will continue to investigate the case of Zaragosa hoping to get more important information about his illicit business and the sources of his illegal drugs. /rcg