P2.3M shabu seized in Talisay buy-bust
CEBU, Philippines — Police seized P2.3 million worth of suspected shabu from a high-value target drug personality near a mall in Tabunok, Talisay City, shortly before midnight on Saturday.
The suspect is identified as Renato Rabaya Jr., a resident of the barangay.
Police Superintendent Glen Mayam, chief of the Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) in the region, said operatives hatched the buy-bust operation after three months of surveillance.
A cop posed as a buyer and contacted Rabaya. The two met at 11:50 p.m. with Rabaya onboard his motorcycle.
When he handed a pack of shabu to the police poseur-buyer, the police declared him under arrest but he attempted to get away using his motorcycle.
The backup cops who came to the scene were able to get hold of him.
“Ni-attempt pa ni siya og dagan human na nga ni- declare ang ato operatiba nga dakpon na siya, nipagan siya’s motor maayo na lang kay nakuptan pa ni siya,” Mayam said.
Items confiscated from Rabaya were his motorcycle, and shabu with an estimated weight of 200 grams worth P2,360,000.
According to Mayam, Rabaya’s name and aliases kept surfacing during interrogation with drug suspects arrested by Talisay police station.
He said it was during DEG’s anti-illegal drug operation in a motel in Talisay that they were able to get his full name after one of Rabaya’s distributors revealed that he was the source.
“This is a result of a follow-up operation from about three months ago. Kato nadakpan namo ang usa sa iyang mga distributors, nga nisulti nga siya ang source. We conducted surveillance right then,” he said.
Mayam said that Rabaya belongs to a “bigtime” drug group operating in Talisay City.
He said that Rabaya claimed he sourced his supply from a contact in Cebu City Jail.
Rabaya is temporarily detained in Talisay City police precinct pending filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (FREEMAN)
- Latest
