Central Visayas buy-bust: P40.8M ‘shabu’ seized from 4 men

A father and his son will be spending some time in jail after they were caught operating a drug den in Brgy. Taclobo, Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental on Monday, June 3. | PDEA-7 Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Law enforcers in Central Visayas apprehended four suspects, including a regional level high-value individual, and confiscated P40.8 million worth of suspected shabu in two separate buy-bust operations on Monday, June 3.

Their biggest haul came from habal-habal driver Joey Brandon Iñigo alias “Jojo,” 36, who is native of Purok 1, Brgy. Calabnugan, Sibulan town in Negros Oriental, who is currently staying in Cebu City.

Iñigo, who is listed in the Top 10 regional level high-value individuals list, was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Arno Ali, Brgy. Labangon, Cebu City at about 7:52 p.m. on Monday.

READ: SACLEO in CV: P11.5M drugs seized in 3 days

Iñigo was arrested with 6,000 grams of suspected shabu worth at least P40.8 million.

According to police, Iñigo is currently overseeing the illegal drugs operation of a man who is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison.

READ: Ex-con caught with P6.8M ‘shabu’ in Cebu City buy-bust

Iñigo is able to dispose at least seven kilos of shabu per week as he oversees their operations in the tri-cities in Cebu and the province of Negros Oriental.

As of this writing, Iñigo remains detained at the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU-7) detention facility while law enforcers prepare for the filing of charges against him.

Dumaguete City buy-bust

Meanwhile, another buy-bust operation was held in Brgy. Taclobo, Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental at 3:04 p.m. on Monday.

READ: Mandaue buy-bust: Almost P7M shabu seized from HVI

Authorities arrested a father and his son, who were accused of operating a suspected drug den.

Those arrested were identified as Roderick Laro, 54, the alleged drug den maintainer, and his son, Patrick, 32.

PDEA-7 said that Roderick works as an electrician while his son was unemployed.

READ: Cebu City buy-bust: 7 men caught in Labangon drug den

Street sweeper Arturo Cortezano, 56, was also arrested while visiting their drug den in Larena Drive in Barangay Taclobo, Dumaguete City.

PDEA-7 operatives confiscated five packs of suspected shabu weighing at least six grams and worth P40, 800 and drug paraphernalia during the buy-bust operation.

Case buildup

Leia Alcantara, the PDEA-7 spokesperson, said that the buy-bust operation in Dumaguete City stemmed from reports that they received from concerned citizens.

Alcantara said they conducted a case buildup for three weeks prior to the conduct of the buy-bust operation.

The father and son tandem, Alcantara said, is able to dispose at least 20 grams of shabu per week.

She said that the two remain detained as of this writing while they prepare for the filing of charges against them.

The buy-bust operation in Dumaguete City was done in coordination with the Negros Oriental Provincial Office and the 705th MC Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 (RMFB7).