Laborer nabbed, ‘shabu’ worth P150T confiscated

A 24-year-old construction worker was arrested and 25 packs of suspected shabu worth P150,000 were seized in a drug buy-bust operation in barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City.

Ariel Mata, 24, said he was just asked to deliver the packs of suspected drugs when he was arrested last Monday afternoon.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said investigation is ongoing to identify Mata’s financier.

Santander said the transaction was supposed to take place in a mall in Cebu City but it was transferred to Maguikay.

Santander said Mata was arrested afterhe handed the packs of suspected drugs to a poseur-buyer along a road.

Mata said someone asked him to deliver the seized items to a man in Mandaue.

Mata said he was surprised when he was arrested by police.

Santander said based on their investigation, Mata was the courier of a suspected drug pusher.

Mata was detained at the Cebu City police’s mini-cell pending the filing of charges against him, said police./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON