Cebu shabu busts net

CEBU CITY – At least R190 million worth of shabu was seized in two anti-drug operations here less than two hours of each other Sunday.

Operatives of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) first arrested 24-year-old Elymar Ancajas in Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City around 1:30 a.m.

When Ancajas was arrested, police found a bulk of shabu weighing 18 kilos in a stockroom made of roofing sheets.

Pieces of garlic were mixed with the illegal substance which were packed in black plastic bags.

“The garlic was used to trick the drug-sniffing dogs. They thought that the strong smell of the garlic will prevent the dogs from detecting the contraband when they were transported from ports,” said Royina Garma, Cebu City police chief, said.

Garma and Debold Sinas, chief Central Visayas police, rushed to Inayawan after the arrest.

“We will check with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency if the technique to put garlic in the packaging of shabu will prevent detection,” said Sinas.

Ancajas told the police that his role was to dispose of the substance.

Shabu sells at R6,800 per gram making the shabu seized from Ancajas worth at least R122 million, said Sinas.

He said police were able to track down Ancajas after the arrest of another drug suspect.

“A drug suspect was arrested by the operatives of the Pardo Police Station last week. He yielded two kilos of shabu and he identified Ancajas as the source of the illegal drugs,” Sinas said.

Sinas said that when interrogated, Ancajas named his supplier who turned out to be Jocelyn Encila, who lives in a subdivision in Barangay Casili, Consolacion town, northern Cebu.

Around 3 a.m., police went to Consolacion and nabbed Encila who was confined in a private hospital due to fever and diarrhea.

Sinas said an officer who posed as a buyer was instructed by Encila to pick up the shabu in her house.

“Encila’s parents were the ones who gave the shabu to our operative,” said Sinas.

A plastic bag of shabu weighing 10 kilos worth at least R68 million was seized from Marcial and his wife Marilyn Encila.

The couple denied any knowledge in their daughter’s drug dealings. But Sinas said that based on intelligence, the parents were in cahoots with their daughter.

“They have a big house, they have three vehicles but they only sell barbecue and charcoal and their daughter is unemployed. Their lifestyle was really suspicious,” said Sinas, who rushed from the earlier operation in Inayawan to the residence of the Encilas.

The Encila couple was brought to the police station, while Jocelyn was placed under hospital arrest.