BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Suspected shabu valued at P20.4 million was intercepted at the BREDCO Port yesterday afternoon – the biggest shabu haul in the region so far this year. Two suspects were also arrested.
K-9 teams from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were conducting a routine inspection of vehicles at roll-on/roll-off (roro) vessels when their drug-sniffing dogs detected something.
Upon checking the suspects’ vehicle – a white Toyota Altis sedan – the operatives discovered three vacuum-sealed cellophane bags containing suspected shabu.
The bags had a combined weight of three kilos, said Police Captain Paul Vincent Pendon, Police Station 2 commander.
The suspects were Aslanie Desomangcop Usman of Lopez Jaena Street, Barangay 31; and Mohammad Ambulo of Villa Angela Subdivision in Barangay Villamonte.
In a separate information provided by PCG-Negros Occidental, the suspects originated from Metro Manila and traveled via roll-on/roll-off vessel from Batangas to Caticlan (Malay, Aklan) then traveled by land to Dumangas, Iloilo.
At the seaport of Dumangas, the suspects boarded a Bacolod City-bound roro vessel.
Operatives of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and Philippine National Police – Maritime Group also joined yesterday’s successful antidrug operation.
They believed the suspects were planning to either sell-off or distribute the suspected shabu to druggies in Negros Occidental.
Both suspects are currently in the custody of PDEA-Negros Occidental. They face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Just last week, PDEA-6 disclosed it had started inspecting seaports using dogs trained to detect illegal drugs.
“What we are doing right now aims to curb drug smuggling through the ports,” said PDEA-6 spokesperson Shey Tanaleon.
PDEA-6 personnel recently inspected the port in Dumanga.
PDEA-6 director Alex Tablate said Bacolod City and Negros Occidental were still the sources of illegal drugs being peddled in Iloilo city and province and other areas of Panay Island.
PDEA-6 is also monitoring five drug groups in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
Some of their members have been arrested but the groups have started using new members whom the police are not familiar with.
“Hndi tayo humihinto sa pag alam ng kanilang new members. As much as possible mga high-value individuals ang ating target ngayon,” Tablate said./PN
