DAGUPAN CONTRA-DROGA CAMPAIGN 

ILLEGAL drug dealers are becoming more creative.

The Dagupan Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized 75 grams of shabu (methamphetamine) valued at P400,000,  packed in candy and gum wrappers in  a buy-bust operation at an apartment in Barangay Mangin Thursday afternoon.

P/Supt. Christopher Abrahano, Dagupan chief of police, said this is another cunning way employed by drug pushers to escape detection by law enforcers.

Abrahano said this was the first time that the police encountered such scheme, which could be a new modus operandi of dealers in the province.

Each candy/gum wrapper contained only half a gram of shabu, making it difficult to detect, Abrahano noted.

Arrested following the buy-bust operation was a woman known by her alias Balao Jamal, 30, from Marawi City, a known big-time drug pusher in the area.

“Considering that 75 grams of shabu were seized from her, she is already considered a big time drug personality,” Abrahano said.

Jamal, who admitted sourcing shabu from Metro Manila, has been charged under Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act, in violation of Section 5, selling of dangerous drugs which is a non-bailable offense , and Section 11 possession of dangerous drugs.

Abrahano said Jamal openly sells fake DVDs and CDs and the police suspect that she and her cohorts use this as a front to move their illegal drugs.

Two other suspects who were with Jamal claimed to be minors but charges for possession and selling of drugs were nonetheless filed against them before the City Prosecutor’s Office.

Jamal said one is her nephew and the other is her cousin who were just helping her sell fake DVDs and CDs.

Abrahano said the two will have to show documentary evidence about their real age, noting that suspects have used this tactic to evade charges.

Under Philippine law, juveniles could not be charged for major offences and are simply turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

SURVEILLANCE

Jamal has long been the object of surveillance by lawmen since last year because of her drug operations but she eluded arrest by constantly changing residence.

She first lived in Sitio Silungan in Bonuan Binloc, which was tagged by PDEA as the drug hub in Region I.

The owner of the Mangin apartment who requested anonymity said Jamal, introducing herself as Gina Natoneng, rented the unit for P5,500 a month beginning  January 30.

He said since Jamal moved in, there has been a constant flow of people visiting even at night.

Abrahano said while Jamal had long been under surveillance, it was only last Wednesday when the police got a break after she unwittingly agreed to sell shabu to a police operative posing as buyer.

Mayor Belen Fernandez, appalled by the illegal drugs disguised as candies, rallied the police to further intensify the campaign against illegal drugs.

“The campaign against illegal drugs will not stop till all the drug traffickers in Dagupan are arrested and behind bars,” Fernandez said.

“We will have no mercy for the drug dealers and pushers. They must all be prosecuted and sent to jail. One drug pusher alone can destroy the future of hundreds of children,” she added.

Abrahano said this was the 16th drug raid scored by lawmen in Dagupan since the start of the year and considered as the biggest drug bust so far not only in Dagupan and Pangasinan but also in Region 1.

Last week, the Dagupan police and PDEA also seized 70 grams of shabu in another part of the city.

So far this year, 13 operations have been conducted resulting in the arrest of 21 suspected drug pushers with 154.719 grams of shabu and 212.092 grams of marijuana confiscated. —LVM with report from Tita Roces

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