Cebu City cops score another big drug bust

CEBU, Philippines - Over P 1 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu was seized from three suspects in a buy-bust operation last Wednesday night in barangay Kasambagan.

Taken from the three suspects, who are all from Mindanao, were 200 grams of white crystalline powder believed to be shabu.

The tywo male suspects were identified as Jamal Paute Salic alias Paloma, 23, and Aslia Musa alias Rhea, 22, both from Marawi City. 

Their female companion was identified as Jabir Sintora Mauga, 20, of Camiguin Island.

The arrest of the three alleged level 1 drug peddlers came a week after police also nabbed three other suspects, who yielded 500 grams of shabu.

Wednesday night’s operation was conducted by personnel from the Investigation and Detective Management Branch led by Chief Insp. George Ylanan.

The deal was made at an apartelle located along Pleasant Drive in barangay Kasambagan. The operation was made after months of surveillance work.

Ylanan said the three big packs of shabu seized from the suspects have an estimated street value of P1.2 million.

He said the arrest of the three suspects is a big blow to the illegal drug trade in Cebu.

Ylanan said the “big-time suspects” allegedly get their supplies from Mindanao and have been distributing in Metro Cebu for several years already.

As level one drug pushers, the three suspects can allegedly dispose more than a kilo of shabu every week.

Police said that they recovered a pack containing 100 grams of the substance believed to be shabu from Salic and got packs containing 50 grams each from Musa ang Mauga.

Ylanan said that the suspects did not resist arrest and even named their supplier, allegedly a prominent figure who hails from Mindanao, but currently based in Cebu.

He said that the said supplier, whose name he refused to divulge, had previous big time illegal drug operations in Cebu and had been arrested by the Philippine Dug Enforcement Agency-7.

Last August 25, Jamel Otto, 28, an alleged level one drug pusher, and his cousins Jovelyn Gumintad, 24, and Rolando Ramos, 22, were arrested and P3 million worth of shabu were seized from them.

Otto, of whom police claimed their “biggest catch” so far this year, is allegedly one of the two major suppliers of illegal drugs in Cebu. — Niña G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)