Suspected shabu worth P34 million was confiscated from the possession of a 51-year-old woman (standing 5th from left, in black hoodie) during a buy-bust operation along Cokaliong Street in Brgy. Carreta, Cebu City, at 4:50 p.m. on Friday, October 11. | PDEA-7 photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A buy-bust operation along Cokaliong Street in Brgy. Carreta, Cebu City on Friday, October 11, resulted in the arrest of a 51-year-old woman and the confiscation of suspected shabu worth P34 million.
The drug sting was conducted at around 4:50 p.m., according to a report from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7).
Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia was also present to witness the apprehension of the drug suspect who was identified as Maria Christine G. Abarquez alias “Tinang.”
Abarquez, 51, is unemployed and a resident of Brgy. Cogon Pardo.
READ: Cebu City resident nabbed with P6.8M shabu in Lapu buy-bust
Seized from her possession were five plastic packs of suspected shabu weighing at least five kilos and worth P34 million and a cellular phone, among others.
Case buildup
Leia Alcantara, the PDEA-7 spokesperson, said that Abarquez would source her shabu from a supplier who is based at the National Capital Region (NCR).
READ: Charges readied vs ‘gun-for-hire’ caught in Cebu City buy-bust
They conducted a case buildup against the suspect for two months based on a tip from a confidential informant.
As of this writing, Abarquez remains in the custody of authorities who are preparing to file charges for the possession and sale of illegal drugs against her.
READ: Cebu City lolas nabbed: Poverty, boredom reasons for selling drugs
A 35-year-old woman, who was arrested for a drug charge in 2019, is going back to jail after she was caught in a buy bust operation in Sitio Laguna, Brgy. Lorega, Cebu City on Friday afternoon, October 11. | PDEA-7 Photo
Lorega buy-bust
Two hours prior to the arrest of Abarquez or at 2:31 p.m., law enforcers also nabbed a former plea bargainer in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Laguna, Brgy. Lorega, Cebu City.
In a report, PDEA-7 said that Cherrie Mae Rabor, 35, was first arrested in March 2019 for the same offense. She was later on released from detention after she agreed to plea bargain.
But instead of starting anew, she returned to peddling illegal drugs and was again arrested on Friday based on a tip from concerned citizens.
PDEA-7 said that Rabor was able to dispose of 20 to 30 grams of shabu per week.
During her arrest, law enforcers recovered 15 grams of suspected shabu worth P102,000 from her possession.
Rabor will soon be charged for the possession and sales of illegal drugs.