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[av_heading heading=’ 2 slain drug suspects sold fake shabu – cops’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Wednesday, April 12, 2017
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ILOILO City – The two drug suspects shot to death by policemen in Zarraga, Iloilo on Saturday were also selling adulterated or fake shabu, according to the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).
While the 21 sachets recovered from Charles Lubao were indeed shabu, the two big sachets from Jaime Buaron II contained 26 grams of tawas (alum), according to Senior Inspector Robert Pancha, PDEU chief.
PDEU had a theory. The two slain Capiz-based high-value drug suspects would initially sell genuine shabu to buyers then fool them in subsequent transactions.
Tawas is a salt crystal more popularly used as a deodorant and astringent. There are other uses for this substance that found its niche in folkloric medicine.
Pancha said the dwindling supply of shabu may be forcing pushers to sell adulterated shabu (mixed with tawas) or even pass pure tawas off as shabu.
Due to the police’s relentless antidrug operations, drug traffickers now find it hard to transport shabu to Iloilo, said Pancha.
Buaron and Lubao, both from Roxas City, were gunned down around 12:20 p.m. on April 8. They resisted arrest.
Lubao was armed with a pistolized M16 rifle and tried to shoot the undercover police officer who bought from him a sachet of shabu while Buaron had a hand grenade he threatened to lob at the police officer’s backup.
“They were armed and dangerous so we have to protect ourselves,” said Pancha.
On April 3, Lubao was subjected to a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tiza, Roxas City but managed to escape from the police, according to Senior Superintendent Samuel Nacion, Capiz police director.
Lubao formed his drug group just this February, added Nacion./PN
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