SOME 1.3 kilos of shabu worth P15 million were seized in an anti-illegal drug operation in Medellin town at 7:30 a.m. yesterday.
It was the second drug haul of the police in Barangay Lamintak Norte in two days.
Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez lauded the police for conducting the raid.
The illegal drugs were seized during a legal search conducted by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 in the house of John Niel Cabatingan.
Cabatingan, the subject of the search warrant, fled when he sensed the arrival of the CIDG.
Aside from the drugs, around P33,000 believed to be proceeds from illegal drug sales was also recovered.
Senior Supt. Marlon Tayaba, CIDG 7 chief, said they had monitored Cabatingan’s movements for three weeks before they applied for a search warrant.
Cabatingan’s neighbors have also been complaining about his alleged drug business, Tayaba said.
Tayaba said Cabatingan is a former seaman who opted to join the illegal drug trade rather than go abroad for work.
The police officer said Cabatingan leads a “lavish” lifestyle as can be gleaned from his house.
Last Tuesday night, operatives of the Cebu Provincial Police Office killed a suspected drug pusher and arrested three of his cohorts in Barangay Lamintak Norte. Recovered from the suspects were firearms and packs of suspected shabu worth about P1 million.
Tayaba suspects there are still big-time drug pushers operating in Lamintak Norte.
He said that even though they failed to arrest Cabatingan, they will still file complaints against him for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
In his Facebook page, Ramirez thanked the local police for conducting non-stop operations against illegal drug operators in Lamintak Norte.
He said that some people told him that the illegal drug trade in Lamintak Norte is nothing but a “figment of his imagination.”
Ramirez is optimistic that when president-elect Rodrigo Duterte assumes office, the illegal drug trade in his town would slow down.
Ramirez has missed serving a fresh term in July 2016, having lost the mayoralty race to Benjun Mondigo last May 9.