RIGHT on Christmas day, the police seized what could be its biggest haul in its campaign against illegal drugs in Cebu since President Duterte came to power.

Amounting to P48.5 million at 6.8 kilos, the suspected shabu was confiscated in a raid in Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City.

Reji Boy Abesia, alias BJ, 24, had his Christmas celebration cut short after police operatives from San Nicolas and Pardo conducted a buy-bust operation at past 11 a.m.

Seized from Abesia, who is from M. Dela Concepcion St., Barangay Pasil, was P46,480,000 worth of illegal drugs.

Police Regional Office Director Debold Sinas said Abesia, who was a new player, was not in the list of drug personalities. Earlier operations, however, pointed to him as a source of illegal drugs.

During the police investigation, Abesia revealed his bulk supplier, and thus the police immediately conducted a follow-up operation in Sitio Tingga-an, Barangay San Nicolas Proper.

At 7:20 p.m., they were able to arrest live-in partners Remelyn Fernandez Cañedo, alias Nalyn, 33, and Michel Torreon Ceniza, 39, of Sitio Lawis, Barangay Pasil.

Seized from them were 200 grams of suspected shabu, which amounted to P1,360,000. They said they get their supply from Manila.

The police believe all the suspects belong to one group since all their illegal drug supplies are similarly brownish.

“So they have already arrested two groups nga puro brownish, but both of these groups we suspected in our diagram are associated to a single group. Kini sa among huna-huna mao ni mo-facilitate mag-contact didto sa Maynila (We think they are the ones who facilitate and enter into contracts in Manila),” said Sinas.

Sinas said that the earlier operation in Guadalupe where they seized P36 million in shabu is related to the recent haul in Barangay Pardo. Both raids indicate one group of couriers who get their source from the same supplier in Manila.

Like with most of the bulk apprehensions, the supplies were ferried by boat from Manila. The police said the suspects revealed more information that may lead to future drug operations. From AYB of Superbalita Cebu