Cebu City drugs: Drug suspect rearrested for running a drug den

Cebu City drugs

Authorities apprehended three individuals, including a man who was previously acquitted of drug charges, during the dismantling of a drug den in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City on Thursday, January 30. | PDEA-7 Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 41-year-old man, who was previously acquitted of drug charges, was arrested for the second time for allegedly running a drug den in Sitio Balagon, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City. 

The drug suspect rearrested along with two drug den visitors during a buy-bust operation on Thursday afternoon, January 30.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) and Labangon Police Station raided the suspected drug den at around 2:05 p.m.

They arrested the alleged drug den maintainer identified as alias “Emerson,” 41, jobless. 

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Also nabbed were two alleged drug den visitors, namely, alias “Eugene,” 53, a junkshop worker, and alias “Baltazar,” 41, tricycle driver.

All three suspects are residents of the barangay.

Leia Alcantara, PDEA-7 spokesperson, disclosed that Emerson was previously arrested in 2018 for drug charges. He was acquitted of the charges in 2021.

Baltazar, on the other hand, spent time in jail in 2017 after getting apprehended for similar charges. In 2023, he was released through a plea bargain.

According to Alcantara, a confidential informant gave a tip about Emerson’s involvement in the illegal drug trade, a worsening problem involving Cebu City drugs. 

During their two-week case buildup, they found out that he typically disposes of 20 grams of illegal drugs per week.

The operation on Thursday led to the confiscation of around 21 grams of suspected shabu and various drug paraphernalia.

According to PDEA-7,  the seized pieces of drug evidence had an estimated average market value of P142,800.

All three suspects in the Cebu City drugs case are in the custody of authorities while drug charges are being readied against them, as of this writing. 

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