One kilo of shabu seized

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines —  A high-value target in Negros Oriental fell into the hands of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit headed by Senior Inspector Armel Von Alegria and the Special Operations Group (SOG) with more or less one kilogram of suspected shabu with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P11.8 million, and a street value of P7 million.

The residence of Urson Villegas in Barangay Mangnao, Dumaguete City, was searched this morning following reports he is into large-scale narcotics distribution, using his ukay-ukay business as a front and while participating in big-time derbies.

According to the SOG team leader Senior Police Officer 4 Allen June Germodo the search warrant was issued two weeks ago together with the warrant against Howard Cabano, who also yielded 25 grams of shabu.

The team waited for Villegas to arrive from Cebu because the subject participated in the Sinulog derby. He is considered a Level 2 pusher who can sell up to 500 grams of shabu every week.  During the search, the team also recovered two big empty plastics where the shabu was supposed to be placed and shipped.

Barangay Councilman Antonio Geanga, who witnessed the search, said Villegas was a former Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Mangnao and that his father was also a former councilman.

Also recovered during the search were a digital weighing scale, lighters, tinfoil, and P28,000 cash believed to be drug money aside from the 53 packs of suspected shabu. Three of the packs contained around 250 grams, 16 with 25 grams, and the rest of the packs with five grams of shabu.

Germodo said the search was done in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency headed by intelligent agent Jason Cabatana and witnessed by Geanga and the media.

He said Villegas has operations from as far as Manjuyod, Bais, and Tanjay in the north, and Sta. Catalina in the south.  (FREEMAN)