Guard in Davao City Jail intercepts meth-stuffed chili peppers

A guard at the Davao City Jail found the meth-stuffed chili peppers mixed in with food. The suspect, Richard Caybot (head bowed), was arrested. (Photo from the Facebook page of the BJMP Davao Region)

MANILA, Philippines — A guard at the male dormitory of the Davao City Jail discovered on Tuesday 35 sachets of suspected crystal meth stuffed in chili peppers that were mixed in with humba (a pork dish) and chicken adobo.

The drugs, locally known as shabu, weighed around 16 grams with an estimated value of P256,000, according to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)

A jail guard discovered the drugs during a thorough search of the items bought in by Richard Caybot, a 40-year-old resident of Barangay Calinan in Davao City.

Caybot was arrested and turned over to the Talomo Police Station.

Jail Director Allan Iral, chief of the BJMP, warned jail visitors not to bring contraband into the facility.

“Hindi po kayo makakalusot dahil lalo kaming mahigpit ngayon hindi lamang dahil sa pandemya kundi alam naming mayroong ilan na magsasamantala sa sistema ng ‘paabot’ sa aming mga pasilidad”, he added.

“You will not be able to get through because we are stricter now — not only because of the pandemic, but we know that there are some who will take advantage of the ‘paabot’ system in our facilities,” Iral said in Filipino.

Paabot is a Filipino term referring to the practice of asking someone to hand over something to another person.

In March 2020, the BJMP declared a jail lockdown and temporarily suspended the contact visitation in its jails.

Only essential items — such as additional medicines and special dietary requirements — can be brought to the facility by the families of the inmate, and they are all subject to searching procedures and security protocols.

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