PDEA-7 agents confiscated 12 packs of suspected shabu worth P81.6 million that was kept hidden inside LED lights boxes. | Alven Marie A. Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 12 kilos of shabu that were found in a courier company’s warehouse in Mandaue City on Saturday was sent here for local distribution, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Robert Lingbawan, head of the regional intelligence division of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
But Lingbawan said he could not yet share information on the shipment because of their ongoing follow-up operation.
“Dahil dito naman pumasok sa Cebu. Meron kami information but we cannot yet disclose,” said Lingbawan.
(It was sent to Cebu. We have information [on the shipment] but we cannot yet disclose.)
READ: P81.6M shabu found in three LED light boxes inside Cebu City warehouse
A total of 12 packs of shabu were found in a courier express company’s warehouse in Mandaue City (not Cebu City as reported earlier) during a routine inspection of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) Saturday night, August 15, 2020.
During the random paneling and sweeping of cargoes, the PDEA-7 K9 found the suspicious cargo. The three boxes containing LED spotlights were subjected to x-ray examination at Pier 3 in Cebu City which led to the discovery of the vacuum-sealed packs of shabu that were contained in tea bags that were individually packed and sealed with black rubber.
Lingbawan said that they are already conducting a follow-up investigation to identify its supposed recipient/s in Cebu. They are also coordinating with their counterparts in Manila to locate the origin of the packs of shabu that were kept hidden inside boxes containing Watt LED lights.
In a separate interview, PDEA-7 Director Levi Ortiz said that the drug shipment is proof of the ongoing movement of drug groups here now that Cebu’s quarantine status have been relaxed.
“Karon kay ni relax na gamay ni balik sila. Naay duha o tulo ka mga sindikato nag control ani,” said Ortiz.
(They have resumed their business now that we are enjoying a more relaxed quarantine status. There are two to three syndicates that are in control of the illegal drug distribution here.)
Ortiz said they are helping the police investigate the latest shabu haul in Cebu to identify and locate persons involved in the shipment of the illegal drugs.
Like Lingbawan, Ortiz also begged off from sharing additional information on their ongoing investigation. But he gave Cebuanos the assurance that they will not rest unless they arrest and file charges against the drug traffickers involved.
He said that their investigation will be done in close coordination with courier companies in Cebu to also help improve the security measures that they implement in their respective businesses. / dcb