Mambaling cops seize P1.2M shabu, nab one HVI

At least P1 million worth of suspected shabu are confiscated from a high-value individual, who was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City this Sunday afternoon, August 23, 2020. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 37-year-old man, whom police consider as a high-value indvidual (HVI) was caught with at least P1 million worth of suspected shabu during a police buy-bust operation in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Mambaling this afternoon, August 23, 2020.

Manuel Orongan, a resident of the area was caught with with 180 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P1,224,000 during the buy-bust operation at 2:04 p.m. today, said Police Captain Renz Talosig, Mambaling Police Station chief, in a phone interview.

Orongan’s arrest came after police caught 11 individuals in separate buy-bust operations last week, which yielded at least P1 million worth of suspected shabu.

Read: Shabu worth P8M seized in separate buy-busts in Cebu

Talosig said that they placed Orongan under surveillance for two weeks before they conducted the buy-bust operation.

He said that they conducted the surveillance operation against Orongan after they received reports about his illegal activities when they also learned that Orongan was in the Regional Police’s drug watchlist.

Orongan told police that he worked as a construction worker of a company working on a bridge project.

The suspect was believed to be able to dispose from 100 grams to 150 grams of suspected shabu in a week. 

Talosig said that Orongan would often allegedly dispose illegal drugs upon the request of his customers.

Orongan’s base of operations covered the Mambaling area.

“According sa iyaha, naa ra siyay mga contact nga magkuha niya og item. Magsugat ra sila sa usa ka place,” said Talosig.

(The suspect said that he usually have customers who would contact him to buy his item (shabu). We would just meet in a certain place.)

Talosig said that the suspect would employ the meetup scheme between himself and his clients to deliver his drugs.

He said that this worked well for Orongan’s alleged illegal drug business and this was also allegedly how Orongan would get his supply of illegal drugs from his source.

Orongan was detained at the Mambaling Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges./dbs