P2 million worth of shabu seized in 2 drug busts

CEBU, Philippines —  At least P2 million worth of suspected shabu were seized by the police from four suspects in two different operations conducted in Cebu City.

The first operation was conducted by the City Intelligence Unit (CIU) wherein a suspect tagged as a high-value individual in terms of illegal drug trading was arrested on A. Lopez St., Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.

CIU chief, Police Lt. Colonel Randy Caballes, identified the suspect as Anthony Ebaw Zabala, 25, a resident of Sitio Mahayahay 2, Barangay Calamba, Cebu City who fell into the hands of the authorities at around 11 p.m. Thursday.

Seized from him was at least P1.2 million of suspected shabu weighing 180 grams.

According to Caballes, Zabala was a former construction worker who has been in the illegal drug activity since August this year.

“His source of illegal drugs is his former neighbor named Josephine aka ‘Sipin’. He will then distribute the shabu to 4 unidentified disposers,” Caballes told reporters.

Investigation revealed that his area of distribution includes A. Lopez Street, Barangay Calamba, Cebu City and other neighboring barangays, disposing of at least 200 to 300 grams of shabu per week from a certain Josephine.

Meanwhile, in a separate buy-bust operation, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) has arrested three individuals in Block 5, Barangay Sawang Calero , Cebu City.

At early dawn Friday, suspects identified as Axeil James U. Presbitero; Angelo Collegado Tañag, 40, and Joseph Tarona Sequillo, 59, were arrested.

Police said the subject of the operation was Presbitero.

Recovered from the operation was one piece of packed suspected shabu with estimated value of at least a million pesos weighing more than 200 grams.

The members of the PDEG in Central Visayas have been monitoring operations of drug dens in the region following the arrest of five individuals in a previous buy-bust operation.

Police assessed that the drug den operations have evolved due to the heightened restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Police Major Alejandro Batobalonos of PDEG-7, there are still several drug dens in the region that they have been monitoring now.

Batobalonos said that unlike the times prior to the pandemic, drug users now hold “sessions” in the morning to avoid the curfew.

Aside from this, although the illegal drug distribution is still there, drug users have focused now on the drug dens.

“Ang disposal nila is kadlawon until sa hapon, pag-abot og hapon, nga 5 p.m., wala na sad silay disposal tungod sa pandemic...ang drug den nagkadaghan, daghang reklamo sa mga silingan kay mahadlok na sila,” said Batobalonos. — GMR (FREEMAN)