P150 million drugs in tea bags seized in Lapu-Lapu City

CEBU, Philippines — At least 22 kilos of suspected shabu worth P150 million were seized in a buy-bust operation that resulted in the arrest of a high-value target in Lapu-Lapu City late yesterday afternoon.

Police Regional Office-7 director Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro identified the suspect as Gilbert Lumanog, an alleged member of a drug syndicate operating in the National Capital Region.

Ferro said the successful operation conducted by the operatives of Regional Drug Enforcement Unit was in coordination with the NCR police office. The drugs were placed in tea bags making it hard for authorities to detect.

"Naka highly-compressed so you cannot really identify whether it's an (illegal) drugs or not… it's the crime laboratory that will determine the qualitative aspect of these drugs,"  Ferro said.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan commended the police for the successful operation. The mayor warned the people involved in illegal drug trade in his city to stop their illegal activities.

He also urged the public, especially barangay officials, to continue helping the police by providing information about the illegal activities in their area.

"Ang atoang panawagan na ipadayon nato ang pagtabang sa atong kapolisan, sa atong Barangay ug sa atong kumunidad, kung duna silay mahibaw-an mahitungod aning mga illegal na mga activities, palihog sa pag report sa atong mga kapolisan," Chan said. —/FPL (FREEMAN)