THE strong smell of garlic possibly masked the odor of 18 kilos of shabu worth more than P122 million from drug-sniffing dogs, Cebu City Police Office chief Royina Garma said.
This, after pieces of garlic were discovered together with the bulk of shabu in Fatima Homes, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City from Elymar Ancajas, 24, on Sunday dawn, March 3.
"Nilagyan ng bawang ang droga. Sa tingin namin nilagay to para kung dadaan kung saang port at may drug-sniffing dog malilinlang natin yung aso because mas matapang yung amoy nang bawang compared sa droga. So sa tingin namin isang modus style na naman nila ito," Police Colonel Garma said.
The pieces of garlic were placed inside the garbage bags on top of the drugs that reportedly distracted K9 units from the smell of shabu.
Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas said they have yet to ask the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 if garlic could indeed get the drugs past K9 units in ports or any points of entry.
Garma said the drugs were traced to Igot Drug Group whose leader, Rustico Igot, is currently serving jail time in the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
Garma said the recent drug haul was connected to the two kilos of shabu confiscated last February by operatives from the Pardo Police Station.
It has a total street value of P122, 400, 000.
Ancajas, who hailed from Barangay Jugan, Consolacion, revealed to operatives his source of drugs where a second operation in Consolacion led to the confiscation of 10 kilos with a street value of P68,000,000.
Caught was Jocelyn Encila, from Barangay Casili, Consolacion but was placed under hospital arrest after she experienced loose bowel movement.
The two operations led to the seizure of P190, 400, 000 worth of illegal drugs.