MORE than half a million pesos worth of illegal drugs were seized from two individuals during a drug bust in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City on Friday morning, June 14.

The drug bust was conducted at 6:45 a.m. by operatives of the Pardo Police Station and the Cebu City Police Office.

Police arrested Evangeline Sabal Mijares, 39, who is identified as part of their drug watchlist, and her companion, Jeric Cabanilla Maranga, 23, both residing along Belgium Street in Barangay Suba, Cebu City.

Seized from Maranga were three large and two small sachets of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) and marked money worth P500 while Mijares yielded five medium-sized sachets of suspected shabu.

Police Major Regino Maramag Jr., Pardo Police Station chief, told SunStar Cebu that their initial subject was Maranga after receiving information that he and Mijares's son were both partners in the illegal drug trade before.

Mijares's son was earlier arrested and jailed for illegal drug possession and selling.

Following her son's arrest, Mijares continued her operations and partnered with Maranga in selling illegal drugs in barangays Pasil and Sawang Calero.

However, both decided to transfer their illegal operations to Barangay Mambaling after the Regional Mobile Force Battalion were sent to the two barangays to conduct non-stop patrols to quash the illegal drug trade there.

Mijares and Maranga will face charges of violating Section 5 and Section 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, for selling and possessing of illegal drugs. (JGS/ with reports from JKV)