P4 million drugs seized from 2 cousins

CEBU, Philippines — Two alleged members of a big-time illegal drug group operating in Cebu City were nabbed in a buy-bust operation Tuesday night.

Superintendent Glenn Mayam, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group Special Operation Unit, identified the suspects as Mark Ababa Mier, 32, and Virgo Pacubas Mier, 44.  Both are cousins.

The police seized almost P4.1 million worth of shabu in the joint operation of the Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) Special Operations Unit 5, Cebu City Police Station 2, Regional Intelligence Division-7 (RID-7), and Regional Special Operations Group-7 (RSOG-7).

Mayam said prior to the operation at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Acacia St., Cebu City, they received a report that these two drug personalities were allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Both suspects are residents of F. Rallos Street, Barangay Suba, Cebu City and are considered as high-value target by the police.

Mark Abellana, an alleged big-time drug personality and who is detained at the Cebu City Jail, is the brother-in-law of Mark Mier.

Mayam said to validate such report, they conducted a surveillance on the suspects for three weeks.

Together with other police units, a buy-bust operation was conducted.

The operatives were able to confiscate eight transparent plastic packs believed to be shabu weighing 600 grams worth P4,080,000.

Two heat-sealed transparent packs of suspected shabu weighing 75 grams, P510,000 were confiscated from Mark.

Meanwhile, a green eco-bag containing five large packs of suspected shabu weighing 500 grams worth P3.4 million were taken from Virgo.

Allegedly, the two admitted that they sourced their supply from Abellana. The Mier cousins allegedly can distribute 500 grams in a week.

The Mier cousins, who denied the allegations against them, are currently detained at the Fuente Police Station pending the filing of criminal complaints for violating Arcticle 2 Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Abellana and his wife were arrested two years ago for possessing 10 kilograms of shabu worth more than P120 million. — Hannah Joy I. Yana, USC Intern GAN (FREEMAN)