ILLEGAL drugs just got so much cheaper in Central Visayas.

According to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), a gram of shabu now costs only P6,800. A few months back, the same amount would cost as much as P11,800.

There are two possible reasons for this, said Senior Supt. Royina Garma, head of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

One, it could mean that there is a large supply of drugs in Region 7, or two, the drug lords have lowered the price of drugs to deplete the supply.

“You can interpret it in so many ways, like, you could say that maybe because there is a large supply, so just make it a bargain. It could also be that those who are on top just want to lower the price to dispose of the supply because of intensified police operations,” said Garma.

She said if the drug personalities have custody of the drugs, there is a high probability that they will be arrested.

Garma was also surprised to learn from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that drugs in the National Capital Region are sold at just P1,500 per gram.

The police chief expects the drug supply to go up now that Christmas and the New Year are just around the corner.

In a One-Time Big-Time operation last Friday, Dec. 7, the Police Regional Office 7 seized P16 million worth of drugs. Some P13 million of this came from Cebu City.

The CCPO seized 1.9 kilos of shabu, estimated to cost P13.4 million, in different operations within 48 hours.

In Cebu Province, police confiscated 201 grams of shabu worth P1.4 million, while P1.3 million worth of illegal drugs was seized in Bohol.

In the drug bust conducted by the Drug Enforcement Unit of the CCPO on N. Bacalso Ave., corner Tres de Abril, 505 grams of shabu worth P3.4 million was seized from suspect Freddie Briones, 38, of Bulacao.

Another operation resulted in the seizure of 725 grams of shabu worth P4.9 million in Sitio Laray, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City. Nineteen-year-old Christian Lloy Arrogante was arrested. From AYB & HBL of Superbalita Cebu / JGA