FIVE persons were arrested during the anti-illegal drug operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Cebu Provincial Office and Mambaling Police Station in Sitio Panagsama, Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City, around 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024,
Those taken into custody were alleged drug den operator Erwin Cabreros, 38, and his alleged clients, Nesel Cariman, 40, Kem Damarillos, 30, Christian Lou Arcelo, 35, a construction worker and Ronil Baclay, 38, an e-bike driver.
Seized during the operation were seven packs of alleged shabu weighing 10 grams worth P68,000, buy-bust money, and drug paraphernalia.
The seized evidence was submitted to PDEA 7 for chemical analysis.
PDEA 7 information officer Leia Alcantara claimed that after receiving information that Cabreros was engaged in illegal drug activities, they subjected Cabreros to a case build-up for a week before the buy-bust.
Case build-up, in law enforcement, is the conduct of intensified counterintelligence operations to gather sufficient information or evidence necessary for the conduct of operations and filing of administrative or criminal cases.
Alcantara said the PDEA 7 discovered that the majority of Cabreros’ clients were e-bike riders, and that he was able to dispose of 15 grams of illegal substances each week.
The suspects will be facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. / AYB