Ex-church volunteer arrested in Cebu City buy-bust; P7.1M worth of shabu seized

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LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – A former church volunteer was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Lumboy, Barangay San Roque, Cebu City, on Friday, July 5, 2024, at around 3:50 a.m.

The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Amparo Moncada Gaviola, also known as Farah, is a resident of Stockton Village, Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

Police confiscated 1,050 grams of suspected shabu worth P7.1 million from Gaviola. They also seized a bundle of boodle money with one genuine thousand-peso bill, P600 in cash believed to be proceeds from her illegal activities, a bag, and a coin purse.

According to Police Major John Lynbert Yango, chief of the Waterfront Police Station, Gaviola is considered a high-value individual in the illegal drug trade. Her name emerged from a tactical interrogation of a previously arrested suspect.

“So nigawas ni ang iyang ngalan nga usa ni siya a high value individual nga involved aning drugs,” Yango said.

The suspect was under surveillance for three weeks and was known as a “bodegera.” She could sell around 1 kilogram of shabu in two weeks.

READ: P2.4M ‘shabu’ seized in separate drug stings in Talisay, Cebu City

An initial transaction attempt was made on Thursday night, July 4, 2024, but the deal was completed early Friday morning.

Police Major John Lynbert Yango stated that the suspect obtained her drugs from an individual known as Dalia, who is already in custody. The suspect operated not only in Cebu City but also in neighboring towns and cities.

Gaviola had been arrested for drug involvement in 2016 and was released in 2021.

She will face charges for violating sections 5 and 11, Article 2 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. /clorenciana