P7M shabu seized

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities have confiscated illegal drugs worth over P7 million from three persons, including a 21-year-old “level 2 drug pusher,” in two buy-bust operations in Cebu City the past two days.

One of them, Joseph Erson Opena of Magsaysay Street, Barangay Suba, yielded several packs of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu worth P6 million in a Cebu City Intelligence Branch police operation yesterday afternoon.

Opena, 21, was arrested after selling a big pack of suspected shabu worth P12,000 to a police poseur-buyer past 3 p.m.

Superintendent Romeo Santander, CIB chief, told The FREEMAN that they only knew of the suspect’s activities two days ago.

Santander said somebody sent CIB a text message detailing Opena’s alleged illegal activities, so authorities immediately placed him under surveillance to confirm the report.

After handcuffing Opena on the ground floor of his rented space where the transaction took place, the police searched his room at the second floor and seized five large packs of suspected shabu, with each pack the size of that of a “ice water,” inside a white paper bag on top of the suspect’s bed.

Several smaller packs of suspected shabu and P17,240 cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs  were also found inside the paper bag.

The police likewise recovered several deposit slips and receipts issued by money remittance firms showing transactions ranging from P100,000 to over P400,000.

Senior Superintendent Noli Romana said he was happy with the result of the buy-bust operation. He, however, credited the success of the operation to a concerned citizen who tipped them off.

Romano said yesterday was the first time that CIB has confiscated such a huge amount of shabu during his stint Cebu City Police Office director.

Santander said that despite the substantial amount of illegal drugs confiscated from Opena, they just consider him a level 2 drug pusher.

Santander said Opena’s supply reportedly comes from Luzon.

The suspect denied possession of the drugs, saying it was just left with him. He, however, did not say who did.

He was brought to the CCPO headquarters in Camp Sotero Cabahug along Gorordo Avenue for detention.

The operation was assisted by San Nicolas Police Station led by its chief, Senior Inspector Chuck Barandog.  Chief Inspector Enrique Belciña, Police Community Relations chief, was also present during the buy-bust operation.

Meanwhile, live-in couple Leny dela Cruz and Raffy Abaya were also collared by CIB policemen after they yielded suspected shabu worth around P1.18 million during a similar operation Tuesday night.

CIB operatives, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–7, arrested the two around 11 p.m. in Barangay Lorega San Miguel, Cebu City after handing P1,000 worth of packs of suspected shabu to a policeman who acted as poseur-buyer.

Santander said they had placed dela Cruz and Abaya under surveillance for over a week after receiving information on their illegal activities.

The two were considered as level 1 drug pushers, or those who can dispose of 200 to 300 grams of illegal drugs every week.

Santander said dela Cruz and Abaya were trusted subordinates of a bigtime drug pusher in the area. The police official, however, declined to reveal the identity of the person.

The couple yielded three big plastic packs of suspected shabu, with each pack weighing 25 grams, and six medium-size plastic packs weighing five grams each.

They joined Opena at the Camp Sotero Cabahug stockade pending the filing of criminal charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act against them.—/RHM (FREEMAN)