TWO women working at a store selling slimming instant coffee without a permit from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were arrested in an entrapment operation at 1:24 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, 2026, along Leon Kilat Street, Barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City.
The suspects were identified only by their aliases, Gera, 39, of Beltran Subdivision, Barangay Quiot, and Grace, 35, of Sitio San Vicente, Barangay Lahug. Both are employees of a store in Lahug that sells beauty products.
Seized during the operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Mandaue City Field Unit, together with representatives from the FDA Regional Office 7, were five large cartons containing slimming instant coffee products with an estimated total value of P200,000.
CIDG-7 investigators said they received information that a beauty products store was selling “Baian 3-in-1 Slimming Instant Coffee” under the brand name “Lishou,” which had no authorization from the FDA.
Upon verification, police found out that the products were unregistered with the FDA Regional Office 7, leading to the suspects’ arrest and the confiscation of the products.
The suspects are currently under the custody of the CIDG-Mandaue City Field Unit and will face charges for violating Section 11(a) in relation to Section 12(j) of Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009.
The operation was carried out as part of “Oplan Mega Shopper,” the flagship program of the CIDG. (AYB)
