A JOINT operation in Gandara, Samar resulted in the confiscation of 88.49 kilos of shabu worth almost P600 million Thursday afternoon, October 17, 2019.
Operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police-Regional Drug Enforcement Unity (PNP-RDEU) also arrested six persons, including a Grade 7 student and a four months pregnant woman, mostly from Cebu City.
Arrested were Elberth Abella, 57, of Barangay Lutopan, Toledo City, Cebu; Leonardo Delos Reyes, 33, of Paranaque City; Steven Perez, 37, of Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City; Cesar Uy, 48, of Barangay General Trias, Cavite; Jeralou Aborte, 37, of Barangay Tejero, Cebu City; and a 14-year-old boy from Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.
Authorities said that around 4:30 p.m. along Barangay Tagnao, Gandara town, they intercepted two vehicles, which were loaded with 44 blue sealed plastic bags containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride).
The vehicles, which were driven from a mall in Edsa and Cavite, were bound to Cebu.
The suspects admitted that they know they are carrying shabu but were not expecting that it was that huge, said broadcaster Rommel Rutor of dyMS- Aksyon Radyo Catbalogan who first reported about the arrest.
According to the suspects, this was their second shipment after their completed delivery last August through the Calbayog port via a ferry.
They were paid P50,000 for a successful shipment, the report said.
The suspects also admitted that someone only contacted them and that they do not know the real owners of the illegal drugs.
They will be facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or Republic Act 9165. (SunStar Philippines)