Drug suspects are held at bay while police operatives search a house in Tierra Grande, Talisay City during a raid yesterday afternoon.
Police seized close to P9 million worth of illegal drugs in a string of anti-drug operations in Talisay City and Cebu City.
The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) conducted an operation in Tierra Grande subdivision in Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City and arrested seven drug personalities.
The suspects are identified as Cheryl Herongay, 30, Teodoro Alisoso Jr., 31, Rolly Flores, 30, Essel Herongay, 37, Suzette Bobier, 28, Jhon Edward Cañedo, 19, and Jeromy Herongay, 20.
Senior Inspector Alejandro Batobalonos of the CPPO-DEU said suspects are considered as high-value targets based on the evidence found.
Police seized three large packs of shabu, 32 medium packs, 88 small packs, a .45 caliber pistol loaded with seven bullets, a KG-9 submachine gun with silencer, three magazines and 20 bullets.
Police also recovered P16,000 cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade.
Drugs recovered from them reached 240 grams worth P2.832 million.
Batobalonos said that the group was first monitored in Mananga during the first One-Time, Big-Time operation of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) last July.
The group then transferred to Lawaan 3, and this month moved to Lawaan 1.
Police traced them and planned a buy-bust operation against Cheryl, who is allegedly the leader of the group.
In an interview with Cheryl, she admitted that a certain “Migo” supervises the trading.
In return, she would get P5,000 for every successful transaction.
She said she handles more than one drug transaction per day.
“Ihatag ra man na sa amoa unya naa koy singko (P5,000) madawat inig human. Kadaghanan labaw pa sa usa ka transaction ang mahimo,” she said.
Cheryl said she is new to the business and only agreed so she can save for her daughter’s education. Cheryl and her partner Teodoro, who was also arrested, are parents to two young children.
Both said they regret being involved but had no other means of livelihood.
Then, a follow up operation was conducted in Barangay Dumlog of the same city which resulted in the recovery of 375 grams worth of shabu with a street value of P4.425 million.
As of press time, police are still conducting an inventory in the area and they have yet to reveal the names of the arrested suspects.
Meanwhile, police also recovered 150 grams of shabu worth P1.770 million in a buy-bust operation in San Jose Village, Barangay Tisa, resulting in the arrest of the suspect, John Ryan Saballa, 18.