PRO8 arrest suspect in drug bust, seized 720T worth of “shabu”

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
December 5, 2012

CAMP RUPERTO K. KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte  –  The Police Regional Office 8 scored the biggest drug haul this year as a recent anti-illegal drugs operation in Kananga town in Leyte yielded a sizeable amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride, popularly known as “shabu”.

Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria, Eastern Visayas police director, informed that joint operatives of Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (AIDSOTG) of Leyte Police Provincial Office, Kananga Police Station and agents from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted a sting operation and implementation of search warrant against Roel Olevirio, also known as “Kawi” in his lair at Bantiller St, Poblacion, Kananga, Leyte.

“The confiscation and arrest of the suspect was a product of weeks of surveillance on the activities of ‘Kawi’”, the region’s top police official said.

Before the buy-bust operation, police lured the suspect into entering a drug deal with their poseur-buyer. This gave authorities the opportunity to set up the buy-bust operation.

“An undercover agent acted as poseur-buyer and was able to purchase P500.00 worth of shabu from Kawi,” Soria informed.

Once the suspect took their bait, police team led by Police Chief Inspector Santi Noel Matira who were positioned nearby immediately collared the suspect and recovered the P500.00 bill bearing serial number QX923533 used as marked money.

Subsequent implementation of search warrant at the suspect’s residence resulted to the confiscation of 5 big sachet of suspected shabu contained in transparent cellophane with a total street value of P700,000.00 and 3 medium sachet of suspected shabu contained in transparent cellophane with an estimated street value of P20,000.00 and assorted illegal drug paraphernalia.

The inventory of seized items, photographs, markings of the respective evidences were witnessed by the representative from media and the barangay officials of Poblacion, Kananga, Leyte.

The suspect was brought to PDEA for documentation and subsequently detained at Palo Police Station as cases for violation of sections 5, 11 and 12 Article II of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002 are being readied by the arresting team. Meanwhile, the confiscated illegal drugs and marked money were turned-over to Regional Crime Laboratory for physical examination.

The PRO8 chief lauded the PNP personnel involved in the operation.