A 36-year-old resident of Cebu City was arrested by operatives of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) in a buy-bust operation which resulted in the seizure of around P4.5 million worth of ‘shabu’ in barangay Mactan on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. | photo courtesy of LLCPO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The top official of the Lapu-Lapu City police said that the number of big-time drug personalities operating in the city has significantly reduced.
Police Colonel Arnel Banzon, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) director, issued this statement following the P7.4 million drug haul on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, in barangay Mactan.
Banzon said that they noticed that most of those apprehended were new players making him believe that big-time drug players in the city were comparatively fewer now.
Banzon, could not provide figures about this as of this posting, though.
“Nabawas-bawasan gyud, di parehas sauna nga daghan mga dagko nga players sa Lapu-Lapu. In fact, nigamay gyud, nangawala na to sukad sa pagsugod sa kampanya. Ginagmay nalang ni sila, mga pusher dili pareha sa una nga grabi,” he added.
Banzon also admitted that the P7.4 million drug haul has a big impact on the quantity of illegal drugs being distributed in the city’s streets.
“Naa syay gamay nga shortage guro pero dili gyud ingun ana kay kabalo man ta tanan nga dili ra kana ang source sa drug pushers. But then again, the important thing is nabawasan. Supposedly ang katong 1.1 kilo, kung wa to ma intercept, maabot tos mga biktimahunon sa Lapu-Lapu. Imagine a one kilo nga na deny nato sa market. Naa siyay impact but I will not say nga dako gyud kay dili ra sya ang drug pusher [here],” Banzon said.
Given that restrictions have since been loosened, Banzon said they anticipate more entries of illegal drugs in the city. This he said can be stalled with intensified operations and increased police visibility in all areas.
Since the illegal drug trade is a lucrative business, Banzon believes that even if more big-time pushers will be arrested, new ones will emerge.
Banzon added that their focus is to stop the illegal drug chain in Lapu-Lapu City.
With this, Banzon reminded his men to never engage in illegal drug activities but rather, intensify their campaign and operations against it.
READ: 7.4M ‘shabu’ seized from Cebu City man nabbed in Lapu-Lapu City