PDEA-7 files illegal drug charges against former MMA fighter

Agents of PDEA-7 nab a former mixed martial artist inside his house with P3.4 million worth of illegal drugs in Barangay Lahug in Cebu City on Saturday, December 3, 2022. | PDEA-7

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) filed illegal drug charges against the former mixed martial arts fighter who was arrested with half a kilo of suspected shabu worth P3.4 million last December 3, 2022.

Slotty Avila, 34, was charged for possession of illegal drugs and remains detained at the agency’s detention facility. For now, Levi Ortiz, chief of PDEA-7, said that they still continue to into other members of the syndicate where Avila was said to be part of.

Ortiz said that they have identified some of Avila’s cohorts but begged off to disclose further information to the public pending their investigation.

“Na file na ang kaso. Unya dako na siya nga sindikato maong continuous ang atoang case build-up sa ubang members sa syndicate. The whole Cebu Island (reach),” Ortiz said.

He said that the illegal drug items of the former mixed martial arts fighter were sourced from outside the Cebu Island but Ortiz refused to name where for now.

Avila was arrested in his house last December 3 during the implementation of a search warrant that was issued last December 2 by a judge at the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.

The arrest of Avila was made after a month-long of surveillance. Based on their investigation, Avila  would use the packaging of different courier services when disposing of his items.

“Walay idea ang courier service. Gigamit lang niya,”  Ortiz said.

/bmjo

READ MORE:

PDEA-7: Former MMA fighter uses packaging of courier service companies to hide shabu during delivery