DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 03 July) – Authorities seized suspected shabu worth about P7 million at the residence of a businessman in NHA Village in Barangay Ma-a around 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday, an official of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said Wednesday.
The suspect, identified only as alias Jose, was first arrested last Monday at the checkpoint of Task Force Davao in Barangay Sirawan, Toril District while he was trying to sneak in illegal drugs.
During the Davao Security Press Corps’ press conference, Capt. Hazel Tuazon, DCPO spokesperson, said that the 51-year-old suspect admitted to authorities that he was keeping shabu at his residence, prompting authorities to conduct a search there.
She said the police personnel found the shabu placed in a transparent plastic bag and tightly wrapped in a packaging tape.
Tuazon said the seized illegal drugs were turned over to the Davao City Field Unit for laboratory examination.
She said the shabu came from Manila and was transported by land to Cagayan de Oro City, where it was picked up by the suspect before proceeding to Davao City.
She said that the police believed that the suspect is a member of a bigger syndicate, but investigators are still trying to determine the identity of the other suspects involved in the illegal trade.
She said that the suspect confided that the drugs were intended to be distributed around the region.
Tuazon said there is no shabu laboratory in the city.
She said the illegal drugs confiscated in the city came mostly from Manila.
The suspect and his 41-year-old companion, identified as alias Ruby, were arrested at the TF Davao checkpoint around 6:30 p.m. last Monday, when a law enforcer noticed a big transparent sachet bulging from the right pocket of his pants.
The law enforcers asked the suspects to disembark from their vehicle, a Toyota Vios, for body search.
When frisked, the police discovered that the sachet in the possession of the male suspect turned out to be a suspected shabu.
Authorities also seized another sachet of suspected shabu from the seat of his female companion.
Two firearms were also recovered from their possession.
Tuazon said that complaints for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act have been filed against the suspects. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
