Another ‘drug pusher’ arrested in Toledo City

CEBU, Philippines - Illegal drugs worth P75,000 and assorted drug paraphernalia were seized from three suspects last Saturday in an operation of anti-narcotics operatives in Rafols St., Barangay Poblacion, Toledo City.

 A team of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group (PAIDSOTG) arrested Julius “Boy” Book, 60, his nephew, Josephus Book, 30 and an alleged customer, Richard Caballero, 34.

Confiscated from Julius were three large and three other small packets of shabu, several pieces of money transfer transaction slips and P500 marked money.

Josephus and Caballero were reportedly sniffing shabu during the operation. Confiscated from them were disposable lighters, rolled aluminum foils and tissue wicks.

Illegal drugs recovered were taken to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory -7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug, Cebu City for chemical analysis.

Josephus and Caballero were also subjected to a drug test.

PO3 Roderick Balili of the PAIDSOTG said that the house of Julius also serves as a drug den to his customers.

Operatives carried out the operation past 5:00 p.m. after a week-long of surveillance of Julius’ alleged illegal drug trade.

Julius was arrested right after he received the wad of money as payment from the poseur-buyer in exchange for the illegal drugs.

“Wala na kasukol kay tiguwang na man ni siya unya katong duha wala na kadagan,” Balili said in a phone interview.

Julius is reportedly a level two drug pusher who can dispose 25 grams of shabu in a week worth P100,000. His scope of distribution is within Toledo City.

Operatives will be filing charges for Sections 5 and 11 of RA 9165 or violation of Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while another charges for Sections 11, 12, and 15 of RA 9165 will also be filed against Josephus and Caballero.         

The suspects are now detained at the Consolacion police station.

The Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG), also last Saturday, arrested a man who had two packets of shabu worth P100,000 in a buy-bust operation in the same city.  (FREEMAN)