OVER P5 million worth of suspected shabu were seized from high-value individuals (HVI) in separate buy-busts conducted in the cities of Cebu and Talisay in the past two days.
Police seized a total of 802 grams of white crystalline substance with a street value of P5,453,600 from the separate drug busts.
First to fall was 18-year-old Alessandra Madrigal. She was arrested in Sitio Riverside, Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City at 12:45 a.m. Saturday,Feb. 29, 2020.
Madrigal is a high school student who also works part-time for a computer cafe in Duljo Fatima.
Operatives of the Mambaling Police Station of the Cebu City Police Office identified Madrigal as an HVI.
She yielded 795 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu worth P5,406,000.
Police Capt. Francis Renz Talosig, Mambaling Police Station chief, said they had been monitoring Madrigal in the past two weeks after receiving reports on the latter’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.
“We validated the report after Alessandra’s name surfaced as one of the new pushers in the area. But right now, we are still tracing her connections and for whom she had been working,” Talosig said in Cebuano.
Talosig said while Madrigal had denied any involvement in illegal drugs, investigation showed that the 18-year-old could dispose of 50 to 100 grams of shabu.
Talosig said they are looking into Madrigal’s possible involvement with a drug syndicate in Cebu City given the amount of illegal drugs she had yielded.
Complaints for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against the suspect.
In Talisay City, police nabbed an HVI in his home in Sitio Ruiz, Barangay Tabunok at 6:40 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28.
Operatives of the Talisay City Police Station identified the suspect as Jonathan Rabi “Joy” Cañeda, 49.
They were carrying a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 66 Judge Jacinto Fajardo Jr. for allegedly violating RA 9165.
Police were able to confiscate seven grams of suspected shabu worth P47,600 from Cañeda.
Cañeda’s arrest, though, surprised his neighbors and relatives. They described the suspect as a “good man.” Major Gerard Ace Pelare, Talisay City Police Station chief, said their investigation and intelligence monitoring showed that Cañeda was a member of the notorious Luage Drug Group that operates in Barangay Lawaan 3.
“The operation is a continuation of our pursuit to end the Luage Drug Group operating in Lawaan 3 and Tabunok by arresting all HVIs and SLTs (street-level targets) in the area. Their arrests significantly cut off the supply to drug users, but we will be closely monitoring new players who may take advantage of the neutralization of the Luage Drug Group,” Pelare said. / FMD, RTF