Authorities apprehended a 31-year-old man after he was caught carrying over P3.7 million worth of suspected shabu during a routine joint checkpoint operation at the Task Force Davao (TFD) Border Checkpoint in Sirawan, Toril, on Sunday.
The suspect, identified only as Jade, a resident of Magsaysay, Carmen, Davao del Norte, was intercepted after a security screening officer noticed a suspicious item fall from his belongings.
A TFD personnel manning the x-ray scanner observed the suspect acting nervously. While preparing to place his bag on the conveyor belt, a heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu fell to the ground.
Sensing something suspicious, the TFD personnel immediately alerted a nearby police officer, who then approached the man. Upon seeing the sachet on the floor and noting the suspect’s anxious demeanor, the officer asked him to lift his sweater, revealing several more plastic sachets concealed around his waist.
Authorities recovered a total of 12 sachets of suspected shabu—one small sachet initially marked “RG” and eleven medium-sized sachets labeled “RG1” to “RG12.” The confiscated drugs have an estimated street value of P3,757,000.00.
The suspect was immediately arrested and informed of his rights. All recovered items were properly marked and tagged in his presence before he was taken to the concerned police station for booking and documentation. The suspected drugs were turned over to the Regional Forensic Unit 11 (RFU 11) for laboratory analysis, while non-drug evidence remains in the custody of the arresting officer pending proper disposition.
Authorities are now conducting further investigation to determine the suspect’s involvement in the illegal drug trade.
