SIX suspected junkies, including a drug den operator, were caught during a buy-bust in Sitio Plaza, Barangay Apas, Cebu City last Sunday night.

Suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P178,500 were seized from them.

In a separate operation last Saturday, four of five men, who were arrested for gambling, were discovered in possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.

In Barangay Apas, a team from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 arrested 22-year-old Pedie Villanueva Amacna at 9:20 p.m.

PDEA 7 Director Ronald Allan Ricardo, in a press statement, said they also caught the suspect’s brother Reymondo and other customers sniffing shabu.

More arrests

They were identified as Rembi Nomio dela Cerna, a cook; Niño Rey Deloeste Edianel, a security guard; Rodel Velasquez Ramos, a security guard; and Reynaldo Manzano, a fish vendor.

Seized from them were eight packs of shabu weighing 105 grams, the P500 bill used in the buy-bust, empty sachets with traces of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

In Barangay Tuyan, Naga City, police arrested two alleged cohorts of suspected drug pusher Amelito “Buwa” Alfante in a raid.

Supt. John Clark, the city police chief, identified the suspects as Cecilio, Buwa’s brother, and his live-in partner Valerie Jan Evangelista.

Other suspected junkies Marvie Tapdasan and Buwa’s relatives Gavie, Eugenio and Marciano were arrested in other house allegedly sniffing shabu.

The operatives seized 7.6 grams of shabu worth P85,306, a value set by the Dangerous Drugs Board.

Complaints for violating Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed against the suspects.

Last Saturday, five men were arrested in Purok Bayabas, Barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City after they were caught gambling.

Police also found illegal drugs in their possession.

The suspects were identified as Feliciano Caballero, 54; Jeric Berame, 21; Carlo Albaracin Reducto, 22; Fernando Berdin, 25; and Benjie Patac, 31.

Denial

According to PO3 Rudy Manzan Janagap of Police Station 3, the suspects were playing “hantak (coin toss).”

“Someone informed us here. We went to the area and we were able to confirm that they were playing hantak,” Janagap said in Cebuano.

They conducted a spot body search and found Caballero, Berame, Berdin and Patac in possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Police confiscated six small plastic sachets believed to contain shabu, three disposable lighters, four rolled aluminum tin foils and three improvised tooters from them.

Berame, though, denied owning the illegal drugs.

The suspects will be charged with violating Presidential Decree 1602, or illegal gambling; and RA 9165, for possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia. Apple Grace C. Danuco, USJ-R Intern