Cops foil delivery of shabu to Maguindanao del Sur town

COTABATO CITY — Policemen on Monday foiled an attempt by a trafficker, said to have links with local terrorists, to deliver P300,000 worth of shabu to a contact in one of the barangays in Datu Piang town in Maguindanao del Sur.

Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawohn, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters on Wednesday that the suspect, Samsudin Ahman Saban, is now detained and would be prosecuted for illegal possession of a pistol and violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Tanggawonh said personnel of the Datu Piang Municipal Police Station, led by Captain Razul Pandulo, immediately detained Saban when they noticed a gun in his vehicle that they flagged down supposedly only for a routine plain view inspection.

Subordinates of Pandulo found P300,000 worth of shabu inside Saban’s minivan that they subjected to a search in the presence of neutral third party witnesses.

Tanggawohn said police and Army intelligence agents are together validating now the reports by people close to Saban about his sharing of his earnings to certain leaders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Dawlah Islamiya to enable him to freely peddle shabu in areas where there is presence of both groups.