Authorities caught a 23-year-old e-bike driver with suspected shabu worth P6.8M during a buy-bust operation in Sitio Tangkongan, Barangay Sambag 1, Cebu City on Monday, November 6, 2023. | PDEA-7 photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – An e-bike driver will be spending some time in jail after he was arrested by police in possession of a total of P6,800,000 worth of suspected shabu in Barangay Sambag 1, Cebu City on Monday afternoon, November 6, 2023.
The arrested person was identified as 23-year-old Jay Bard Abaquita, who works as an e-bike driver and a resident of Barangay Suba, Cebu City.
The operation was conducted by joint elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), Naval Forces Central (NAVFORCEN), and Abellana Police Station.
Operatives conducted the buy-bust in Sitio Tangkongan in the barangay at around 5:15 p.m. on Monday.
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They seized from Abaquita one pack of suspected shabu weighing around 1 kilo. The confiscated illegal drugs had a Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P6,800,000.
Also confiscated from the alleged suspect were one mobile phone, cash amounting to P193, and other non-drug evidence.
According to PDEA-7, the pieces of drug evidence will be submitted to the laboratory for chemical analysis and proper disposition.
Leia Alcantara, PDEA-7 spokesperson, said that the arrest of Abaquita stemmed from the information they received from a confidential informant and previous operations.
She also said that authorities conducted a case buildup of a total of 3 weeks before the operation was put into place.
Based on their observation, Abaquita can dispose around 500 grams to 1 kilo of illegal drugs per week, added Alcantara.
The alleged suspect is now in the custody of the police pending for the filing of appropriate charges against them.
According to the agency, he will likely be facing charges for selling illegal drugs in violation of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
/bmjo