Elusive ‘big-time’ pusher caught with P480T shabu

Operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) caught a suspected big-time drug pusher inside a hotel in downtown Cebu City at 2:45 p.m. yesterday.

Anthony Tampus, 30, yielded 30 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu worth P480,000, after he was caught in one of the rooms by the team led by Senior Insp. Ian Macatangay. Tampus, a high-value target, was described as elusive.

His location was traced after a week-long surveillance. He reportedly rented the room for P1,200 per day in the past two months.

Macatangay said that they are investigating Tampus to determine his supplier.

“Taga Pasil ni siya diin kusog ang dakop, maong nangita siya’g katagoan (He is from Barangay Pasil where many pushers have been arrested, that’s why he decided to hide,” he said.

In a separate buy-bust in the city, two suspected drug pushers were arrested in Barangay Pasil at 2:45 a.m. yesterday.

Suspects Christopher Abella Ferrer, 33, and Erald Cabada Daan, 32, were arrested with 55.08 grams of suspected shabu worth P192,780 by operatives of the City Drug Enforcement Unit and City Intelligence Branch.

A .45 pistol, three .38 revolvers, two magazines, 17 bullets and cash amounting to P800 (including the P200 buy-bust money) were also seized from the suspects.

Ferrer was listed as first in the high-value target list of Cebu City Police Office, before he was caught.

The suspect was caught last February for violating Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He is out on bail.

After a three-week surveillance, police learned that Ferrer was back in the illegal drug trade with his cohort.

The joint police team then launched the operation against him. /