Woman arrested with P7 million shabu

CEBU, Philippines — A woman was arrested for alleged possession of 35 kilograms of shabu worth more than P7 million in a police operation in Barangay Banilad Tuesday night.

The suspect is identified as Vanessa “Van-Van” Lauron, a high-value target and a resident of Barangay Carreta.

Police Senior Inspector Elisandro Quijano, Talamban Police Station chief, said that a cop posed as buyer and successfully transacted with Lauron in Barangay Banilad at around 12:50 a.m Tuesday.

Lauron was arrested after an informant tipped the police of her illegal drugs business.

In a follow up tactical debriefing, Lauron said she stores and distributes drugs from her contact in Liloan town.

This person gets supplies from someone inside one of the jails in Cebu City. It was not clear which jail.

Quijano said they have no information yet if she is connected to any known drug group in Cebu.

In a separate operation, Punta Princesa Police station arrested Joselyndro Cardenas, 19, in a buy bust operation on C. Padilla Street Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.

The operating team led by Chief Inspector Keith Allen Andaya said that he was under surveillance for more than a week.

Cardenas yielded 25 grams of shabu worth P170,000.

In a follow up operation, cops led by Mambaling Police Station found out Cardenas had a nephew named Jonmarc who keeps his illegal drug supply.

Andaya said that their original target was only Cardenas but he squealed that he supplies illegal drugs for Jonmarc.

Jonmarc yielded P1.3 million worth of shabu and was arrested in Barangay San Nicolas.

Meanwhile, four drug personalities were arrested in two separate buy bust operations on March 12 in Danao City. A total of P884,000 worth of shabu was seized.

Mabelle Lapina, 40, and Tomas Ramoneda, 42, were arrested in a buy bust operation conducted at 2:30 a.m. in Guinsay, Danao City.

Packs of heat-sealed suspected shabu estimated to worth P510,000 were confiscated from the two.

In Pagutlan Masloy, Danao City, Reymart Calzada, 27, and Juanito Herrera, 42, were also arrested in a separate buy bust operation.

Suspected shabu worth P374,000 and a 357 gun were seized from the suspects.

P03 Hazel Gonzales of Danao City Police Station admitted that it is a challenge for them to make Danao City drug-cleared.

"Danao is a big city so it is a challenge for us to make it drug-free. However, we will do our best para ma at least neutralize lang ang city," Gonzales said. — Hanna Tejada, USC Intern MBG (FREEMAN)