P1.3M worth of ‘shabu’ seized from tempura vendor, cohort

A tempura vendor and his cohort are arrested after they were caught with at least P1.3 million worth of suspected ‘shabu’ during a buy-bust operation conducted along Spolarium Street in Barangay Duljo-Fatima here past 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2021. | contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A tempura vendor and his cohort were arrested after they were caught with at least P1.3 million worth of suspected ‘shabu’ during a buy-bust operation conducted along Spolarium Street in Barangay Duljo-Fatima here past 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2021.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Caballes, chief of the Cebu City Police Office Intelligence Unit (CCPO-CIU), identified the two suspects as tempura vendor Junel “Jawa” Rabanes, 24,  and Jefferson Pabalate, 22. Both are residents of Sitio General Genis in Barangay Suba, Cebu City.

Caballes said that it took them two weeks before they closed a transaction with the suspects, who were said to be active in the illegal drug trade for two months already.

During the buy-bust operation, Caballes said that they confiscated at least 200 grams of suspected ‘shabu’ with a market value of around P1,360,000.

Supplier from City Jail

Caballes further said that these two suspects are able to dispose of their illegal drug items in Barangay Duljo-Fatima and neighboring barangays.

Rabanes, the subject of the operation, can dispose at least 500 grams of ‘shabu’ per week. Rabanes reportedly disclosed that he gets his supply from a certain ‘Jekoy’ who is inside the Cebu City Jail.

Caballes further mentioned that Rabanes’ cohort, Pabalate, was already arrested last May 18, 2017 for the same offense. Pabalate can dispose of at least five to ten grams of suspected ‘shabu’ per week.

/bmjo