P5.4M shabu, marijuana seized from 5 suspects including ‘vlogger’ in Calabarzon

LUCENA CITY — Police arrested five suspects, including a known “vlogger,” and seized more than P5.4 million worth of shabu (crystal meth) and marijuana in separate buy-bust operations early Saturday, September 10, in Laguna, Quezon, and Cavite provinces.

Police Colonel Randy Glenn Silvio, acting Laguna police chief, reported that San Pablo City anti-illegal drug operatives nabbed Jerome Layson, Ginalyn Benisa, and Crismark Alimagno around 3:18 a.m. after they allegedly sold a pack of “kush” (high-grade marijuana) to an undercover cop in Barangay (village) San Isidro.

Authorities seized 10 packs of “kush” and dried 2.5 kilos of marijuana leaves with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P3,750,000.

The police tagged Layson, a social media vlogger known as “Jhem Bayot,” as the alleged leader of the group.

Layson, a resident of Caloocan City, rented an apartment in San Pablo and has been using his food cart business as a cover for his illegal drug trade.

His group also sells illegal drugs through online transactions with clients in Metro Manila, Laguna, and Quezon.

Police said the group taps the services of delivery companies to move their illicit products.

Meanwhile, anti-narcotics agents collared Patricio Martin in a drug sting operation around 12:23 a.m. in Barangay Ibabang Dupay in Lucena City, Police Colonel Ledon Monte, acting Quezon police chief, said in a report.

The suspect yielded 14 plastic sachets of shabu weighing 73 grams with an estimated DDB value of P496,400.

The seized illegal drugs are worth P1,489,200 in the street market.

The police tagged Martin as included on the drug watch list as an “HVI” or high-value individual in the local drug scene. The suspect is also an alleged member of a drug syndicate.

In Bacoor City, Cavite, police busted Ian Tupag, another “HVI”, in Barangay Molino 4 around 1 a.m., the Region 4A police reported.

The cops confiscated from Tupag one sachet of shabu weighing 25 grams. The illegal drugs have an estimated DDB value of P170,000.

All suspects are under police custody and facing charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

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