A man was arrested in a drug bust launched by the Cebu City Police Office’s (CCPO) Drug Enforcement Unit for selling party drugs believed to be ecstasy, shabu and cocaine on Sinulog day Sunday, January 15, 2023.
The arrest was made around 10:50 p.m. Sunday on Governor M. Cuenco Avenue, Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City.
Police identified the suspect as Omar Lamdagan Ali, 28, who was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but raised in Bohol province.
The suspect temporarily stayed in Avida Ayala Tower 3 on Jose Maria Del Mar Street, Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
Seized from Ali during the raid headed by Police Major Dindo Alaras of City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) were shabu worth around P54,000, 27 alleged ecstasy tablets amounting to P45,900, and cocaine of undetermined amount.
Alaras said Ali is the same person who supplied illegal drugs believed to be ecstasy to a foreign national, who died in 2020 at a hotel in an upland Cebu City barangay of Busay, due to drug overdose.
Since then, Ali disappeared after he allegedly went to Bohol province to hide there.
Alaras said they just received information that Ali came back to Cebu for the Sinulog celebration.
CCPO Chief Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog said they monitored the suspect’s movement and sighted Ali having a party with rich young adults in one of the high-end bars in Kasambagan.
Party drug ecstasy is reportedly used by well-off individuals.
A police asset then approached the suspect and they both agreed to do the illegal drug transaction outside the bar.
Police finally caught Ali as he handed over the illegal drugs to a poseur-buyer.
“Kining suspect didto ni naga tambay sa mga high-end nga mga disco bar kay ang maka palit ra man ani ang well-off nga mga tao,” Dalogdog said.
(The suspect usually hangs around high-end disco bars since his customers are well-off individuals.)
“Nawala man ni siya after adtong nahitabo sa Danish national, unya ang among info didto nig bohol. Siya man to ang nagbaligya sa party drugs nga human naka inom, wala na siya maka hibalo unsay iyang buhaton kay nag overdose naman siya,” Alaras said.
(He disappeared after what happened to the Danish national, then we received info that he was in Bohol. He was the one who sold party drugs that after drinking he didn't know what to do because he (Danish national) overdosed.)
After that incident, Ali was placed in the wanted list of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas and other law enforcement agencies.
The suspect allegedly got his illegal drug supply from Manila. (AYB/TPT)