Police seized around one million peso worth of suspected shabu from an alleged big time drug pusher from Davao City in a buy-bust operation here Saturday.
Col. Paul Bometivo, acting city police director, said in a report that the illegal drugs, the biggest recovery so far in a single operation in the city, were found in the possession of suspect Jason Tiu Lacsamana, 47, a resident of Toril, Davao City.
He said Lacsamana was cornered by joint operatives from the city police drug enforcement unit and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 12 in an entrapment at around 11:39 a.m. Saturday along Bula-Lagao Road in Barangay Bula.
The distance between Toril in Davao City and General Santos City. Courtesy of Google Maps
The police official said the suspect sold a sachet of suspected shabu worth P1,000 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.
In a subsequent search, Lacsamana yielded a “jumbo” and 20 “large” size rectangular plastic sachets containing a combined 150.5 grams of suspected shabu valued at P1,023,400 based on the national standard drug price.
The seized illegal drugs were submitted to the Police Regional Office-12 crime laboratory for proper examination, he said.
Lt. Col. Aldrin Gonzales, spokesperson of the city police office, said in an interview that the suspect’s presence in the city was initially monitored by intelligence operatives two weeks ago.
He said Lacsamana is a transient and with no permanent address in the city, and reportedly traveled to the area from Toril, Davao City via a public utility vehicle.
“He was under surveillance for two weeks. Our operatives were able to finalize a transaction with him yesterday (Saturday) so he surfaced and was eventually entrapped,” he said.
Gonzales said Lacsamana is considered a high value drug personality and has “no other work aside from peddling shabu.”
Bometivo has ordered a deeper investigation and follow-up operations to identify the supplier of the confiscated shabu.
“I urge the public not to hesitate to come forward and report to us any relevant information regarding illegal drug activities in their areas,” he said.
Charges for selling and possession of dangerous drugs or violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 are being readied against the suspect that would be filed through inquest proceedings before the city prosecutor’s office, he added. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)
