Buy-bust yields P1M shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Around P1 million worth of shabu were seized from an alleged drug pusher in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Hi-way, Barangay Pung-ol Sibugay, Cebu City Wednesday afternoon.

Danilo “Boy” Arcilla, 42, was arrested by Cebu City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group policemen in his residence after handing a pack of suspected shabu to a poseur-buyer in exchange of P1,000 in marked money around 5:50 p.m.

Senior Inspector Eunil Avergonzado, CAIDSOTG chief, said they had Arcilla under surveillance for three weeks after they received information that he was into the illegal drug trade in the mountain barangay.

Avergonzado said the suspect is considered as a “level two drug pusher” who can sell 200 grams of shabu every week.

Avergonzado said Arcilla refused to divulge from whom he gets his supply, and only admitted that he sells illegal drugs mostly in the mountain barangays of Cebu City.

In all, the police confiscated a medium pack of suspected shabu, four large packs of suspected shabu, the P1,000 buy bust money, and P2, 710 cash believed to be proceeds from Arcilla.

Avergonzado said that all the illegal drugs seized from Arcilla weighed a total of 85 grams with an estimated value of P1 million.

He added that Arcilla was previously arrested for possession of illegal drugs but was able to post bail.

Avergonzado said that this time, the suspect has committed a non-bailable offense for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Article 2 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Arcilla is currently detained at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell.

The confiscation of the shabu packs from Arcilla brings to P15 million the total worth of illegal drugs authorities seized in high-profile operations the past week.

Last Monday, City Intelligence Branch and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents caught Marilou Sabello, 54, in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City with P6 million worth of shabu in her possession. Sabello could reportedly sell at least 500 grams up to a kilo of shabu each week.

Two days before Sabello’s arrest, the CIB operatives also apprehended alleged big-time drug pusher Emelyn Dingal, 49, in sitio Buli, Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City.

The police recovered around P1.3 million worth of illegal drugs from Dingal, who reportedly could sell a kilo of suspected shabu, in Mambaling and other parts of Cebu City each week

Superintendent Romeo Santander, CIB chief, earlier said they believed the source of Dingal and Sabella are the same.

Last Friday, the police confiscated P7 million worth of illegal drugs from a suspected level two drug pusher in a buy-bust operation in Tres de Abril Street, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City last Friday.

Jonathan Cañada, 40, was apprehended by the elements of Regional Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG) in his residence.

Cañada used to be a striker or an errand boy for the Civil Security Group of the Philippine National Police and allegedly works for a man that the police consider as a big target.

Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa, CCPO  Police Office officer-in-charge, said their intensified anti-illegal drug operations is in accordance with the directive of Police Regional Office – 7’s Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas to double their efforts in their fight against illegal drugs this year.

PRO-7 confiscated almost P23 million worth of shabu in the first two months of 2015 compared to the P10 million seized in the same period in 2014 last year.

The police have also increased their anti-drug operations from 286 in the first two months of 2014 to 389 in the same period this year. This led to a higher number of arrests of drug personalities from 364 on January to February of last year to 538 in the same period in 2015.  (FREEMAN)