Woman from Ermita nabbed in Talisay City with P578K worth of ‘shabu’

A woman was arrested with P578,000 worth of illegal drugs during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City, Saturday night, November 26. | Photo courtesy of Talisay City Police Station

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A woman, who was sent to deliver suspected shabu to a buyer in Barangay Tabunok in Talisay City, landed in jail after she was arrested by the police, Saturday night, Nov. 26.

Suspect Elmilyne Ponce, 40,  is not new in the illegal drug business, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Caballes, chief of the Talisay City Police Station.

Caballes said Ponce was also arrested for the same offense in January 2017. She was released from detention in December 2019 after she agreed to plea bargain.

But she never learned.

Ponce was again arrested in a buy-bust operation Saturday night for the possession of 85 grams of suspected shabu worth at least P578,000.

Caballes said they placed the suspect under surveillance for two weeks before they sent a poseur buyer to transact with her Saturday night.

Middleman from Kalunasan jail

Based on their investigation, Ponce would allegedly communicate with a middleman, a certain Keir, who is an inmate of the Cebu City Jail in Barangay Kalunasan in Cebu City, to get her supply of ‘shabu.’

Caballes added that Ponce could dispose at least 100 grams of ‘shabu’ per week to buyers in Barangays Ermita, Cebu City and Tabunok in Talisay City.

She would also share her supply with other peddlers who come to Talisay City to sell illegal drugs.

Caballes said they have been hearing about her activities from drug suspects that they arrested earlier.

Despite Ponce’s arrest, Caballes said, the drug situation in Barangay Tabunok remains manageable.  Based on their investigation,  there is only a “slight demand” for illegal drugs in the barangay.  They have also identified the users in the area that are based in Mananga and other neighboring sitios.

Men still dominate illegal drug trade

Meanwhile, Caballes said that majority of the drug suspects that they have arrested in their recent anti-drugs operation were men. And most of them come from neighboring localities. They only visit Talisay City to delivery ‘shabu.’

Only 30 percent of the arrested suspects are women, who opted to continue the illegal drug business of a jailed spouse or family member.

But he could not yet provide data as to the total number of arrests that they have made in the past months as they continue to collate these.

Caballes also said that they have not identified any “big drug player” in their city to date.

And while they continue with their anti-drug operations, Caballes said, barangays in Talisay City also do a fair share in the campaign by helping in the rehabilitation of drug users in their respective areas.

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