P8M IN 3 BARANGAYS IN DRUGS IN A DAY
Police caught 5 persons, including a 17-year-old boy, and seized more than P7.6M in illegal drugs in less than 24 hours in the cities of Cebu and Talisay
More than P7 million worth of illegal drugs were seized from four persons, including a 17-year-old minor, in two drug busts in Barangays Camputhaw and Lahug in Cebu City.
In Talisay City, police arrested a woman who allegedly had P613,600 worth of white crystals that appeared to be shabu in Barangay Tangke, where extra police operatives have been sent to go after illegal drugs.
In the first operation in Cebu City, Chief Insp. Jackyll Bilibli, chief of the City Drug Enforce- ment Unit (CDEU), said that the minor and his two friends were involved in the operation of a possible drug syndicate.
“They have a boss called Kim. Kim and the minor were neighbors in Guadalupe and stayed in contact. The source of their illegal drugs is outside Cebu but the contact is in the Cebu City Jail,” Bilibli said.
“They live in condos and hotels. Paano nakakagalaw yung nasa loob kung di yan syndicated na organization ng drug lord at tsaka pushers? (How could those inside move unless they belong to a syndicate run by a drug lord and pushers)?” he added.
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The minor was an out-of-school youth and with the other two reportedly acted as couriers for shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride.
“Merong boss sa city jail, dun kumukuha ng instructions. Bagsak ang item sa bata, yung bata dadalhin sa customer at kukunin yung pera. Yung pera dadalhin ng bata at kukunin ni alias Kim (They have a boss in the city jail, who issues instructions. The drugs are given to the minor, who then brings it to the customer and collects payment. He then brings the money to Kim),” Bilibli said.
The minor had in his possession 300 grams of the drug stash, while the rest were seized from the three.
The other two were identified as Hubert Plarisan, 22, who hailed from Danaoan Biga, Toledo City, and Orville Quijada, 21, from Quijada Compound, Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City.
Both yielded 100 grams each, police said.
Bilibli said that the minor was living in a condominium unit in I.T. Park.
“Pinapatira sa condo. Pinapakain. Binibigyan ng marangyang bagay (He was made to live in a condo, fed, and given expensive things),” Bilibli said.
A sports utility vehicle where the shabu was reportedly placed was also seized.
The minor, in an interview, said that alias Kim gave him P1,500 for every transaction.
Woman, 20, also caught
“I didn’t want to do this but he made me do it. He would go to my house. I need the money, too,” he said in Cebuano.
The minor will be transferred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
In the second operation in Cebu City, a 20-year-old woman who hailed from Masbate City was arrested in a drug bust in Barangay Camputhaw yesterday morning.
Lyka Alejo yielded P1,180,000 worth of illegal drugs, police said.
Bilibli said that Alejo also owned two condominium units in Pasay City, and was linked to the minor caught in I.T. Park.
Alejo disposed of one kilo of shabu per week and operated in Mandaue and Cebu, police said.
The four will be facing non-bailable drug charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
In Talisay City, police caught a suspected pusher in Sitio Rattan, Barangay Tangke past 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Cherry Mae Salibay Macuto, 34, yielded 52 grams of white crystals believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, to operatives of the Cebu Provincial Police Office’s Provincial Intelligence Branch, Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) and Provincial Mobile Force Company.
Senior Insp. Alejandro Batobalonos, PDEU chief, said the woman was one of the big-time personalities operating in Tangke. Her husband, also a suspected pusher, and her sibling were detained in the Talisay City Jail for drug-related charges.