Cebu City drug busts: 2 HVIs nabbed with P408K shabu

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Possession and selling of illegal drugs charges are being readied against two men, who were caught with P407,000 worth of suspected shabu in two separate anti-illegal drugs operations on Sunday, September 27, in Barangays Punta Princesa and Labangon in Cebu City.

First to fall was Kenneth Tabada, 30, of Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City, who was caught with 10 grams of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in his residence at 7:30 p.m., said Police Captain Jonathan dela Cerna, Labangon Police Station chief.

Dela Cerna said that the suspected shabu confiscated from Tabada had an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P68,000.

In a follow-up operation at least four hours later or at 11:30 p.m., police arrested Roy Galacio Jr. 19, in his residence where 50 grams of suspected shabu were found.

The confiscated drugs from Galacio have an estimated DDB value of P340,000.

Read: Buy-bust operations in cities of Cebu, Mandaue yield P2.1 M shabu, 2 HVIs

Dela Cerna said that they had placed Tabada and Galacio under surveillance for two weeks before they conducted the separate operations against them.

He said that they considered both suspects as high value individuals in their drug watchlist.

He also said that both men could dispose from 100 grams to 200 grams of suspected shabu in a week.

“Kani sila ilang modus kay meet up ra pud usahay maghatud nakabike usahay maglakaw lang gani,” said Dela Cerna.

(Their modus is to meet up with their clients. Sometimes, they deliver their drugs using a bike or they would just walk to the meetup area.)

He also said that they were also investigating if both men were members of a drug group.

The two suspects were detained at the Labangon Police Station detention cell pending the filing of charges./dbs