PDEA-7 chemists test illegal drugs that were confiscated in earlier operations before these were burned on October 14, 2021. | CDN Digital file photo
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Two high value individuals were arrested with P2.7 million worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation Tuesday night, November 2, in Sitio Pagatpat in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.
Police Major Juanito Dindo Alaras, chief of the Mambaling Police Station, said they confiscated 410 grams of suspected shabu and the P1, 000 buy-bust money which they placed on top of a bundle of paper bills which they made to appear amounted to P12, 000.
Alaras identified the arrested individuals as Estrella “Ester” Villanueva, 39, and Bernabe “Dondoy” Ragusta, 35, both of whom are from Sitio Ponyang, Barangay Duljo Fatima.
The Mambaling police chief said Villanueva’s name is listed on the regional drugs watchlist while Pagusta is included in the station level.
Villanueva was already arrested for illegal drugs possession in 2006 while she was still in Central Luzon but was released from detention in 2018 following her acquittal, he said.
Alaras said they placed Villanueva, who was the target of their operation, under monitoring for at least four months since she would often move from one place to another.
They also coordinated with agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas in planning the buy-bust operation Tuesday night. They sent a poseur buyer to meet with the two suspects along the road in Sitio Pagatpat.
As of this writing, Alaras said, they continue to investigate Villanueva’s supplier of illegal drugs.
Villanueva and Ragusta are currently detained at the Mambaling Police Station’s detention facility while they also prepare for the filing of appropriate charges against them.
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