Around 12 kilos of suspected shabu were found inside three boxes of LED lights. | Alven Marie A. Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Law enforcers here confiscated around P95.8 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested three high-value targets during series of operations made in the last five days.
Their biggest haul was the 12 packs of shabu that were confiscated from the warehouse of a courier company in Mandaue City (not in Cebu City as reported earlier).
“Daku na kaayo ni siya nga kawalan especially sa Cebu market,” said Levi Ortiz, director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement in Central Visayas.
(This (the confiscated shabu) is big loss especially to the Cebu market.)
READ: 12 kilos of shabu intended for local distribution – authorities
Ortiz credited the close coordination between the Philippine National Police and PDEA-7 for the successful operations made between Tuesday, August 11, and Saturday, August 15.
“Padayun among strong and harmonious relationship para ma pukan nato ang illegal nga druga diri sa Region 7,” said Ortiz.
(We will continue with our strong and harmonious relationship to ensure success anti-drug operations in Region 7.)
3 HTVs arrested
First to be arrested was the tandem from Barangay Guadalupe – Michael Garma Cavan, 42, and Felix Nisnisan, 34, – Tuesday night, August 11, for the possession of 1.1 kilos of white meth worth at least P7.4 million.
READ: Guadalupe bust yields P7M shabu, nets two HVTs
Police Major Randy Caballes, head of the Intelligence Unit of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that Cavan, an ex-convict who was released from jail in May 2020, was the subject of their operation.
On Friday, PDEA-7 agents also arrested food delivery driver Eranes Baltazar Jr. for the possession of P6.8 million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sambag 1 after two weeks of placing him under surveillance.
READ: Food delivery service driver caught with P6.8M shabu
Baltazar, 40, is a resident of Barangay Ermita in Cebu City. He was also jailed earlier for a robbery case filed in 2002.
Quoting the outcome of their initial investigation, Ortiz said that Baltazar is new in the illegal drugs business.
Shabu from Manila
Just this Saturday, PDEA-7 also confiscated 12 kilos of shabu worth at least P81.6 million that was shipped from Manila. The packs of shabu were kept hidden in boxes container LED lights that were sent to Cebu through a courier express company that operates a warehouse in Mandaue City.
No suspects were arrested during the recent PDEA-7 operation, by the agency is now coordinating with the police in identifying and locating its shipper and supposed recipient/s in Cebu.
Ortiz said that the presence of the shabu is an indication of the resumption of business of drug traffickers now that Cebu’s quarantine status has been relaxed.
Drug traffickers
Quoting the outcome of their initial investigation, Ortiz said that two to three drug groups are now operating in Cebu.
He said that they will continue with their intelligence gathering with the help of the community and in coordination with the PNP to locate the local drug groups and prevent the shipment of more shabu here.
Despite the outcome of their recent operations, Ortiz said that a lot still needs to be done to ensure the success of their anti-drugs operation.
Ortiz said that drug traffickers also continue to innovate to make sure that they remain in business. With the confiscation of the 12 kilos of shabu, Ortiz said, it will no longer come as a surprise if drug traffickers will also come up with new means to bring shabu here. / dcb