Woman caught selling ‘shabu’

A WOMAN was arrested while packs of suspected shabu worth P120,000 were seized in a drug buy- bust operation in barangay Kalawisan, Lapu-Lapu City.

Maria Laura Baguio was arrested in his home by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) last Wednesday afternoon.

Jessie Tabanao, information officer of PDEA-7, said the woman’s husband, Elvin, was the subject of the raid but he was not around.

Baguio denied that she was involved in illegal drug trade. She said she didn’t know that she was bringing was shabu. She said a friend asked her to deliver the item to a man.

Baguio said she was just selling shrimps and other seafoods as a means of living.

Maria Laura was arrested after she handed over five packs of suspected shabu worth P100,000 to a PDEA agent who acted as a buyer.

PDEA said the bundles of pieces of paper cut in the size of money with two P500 bills were used as buy-bust money.

PDEA agent David Mark Maramba said they have been receiving reports about the couple’s alleged illegal activities since December last year.

Maramba said the operation took time to get executed since the couple refused to sell drugs to people they didn’t trust.

Maramba said based on the seized illegal drugs, the couple can sell 200 to 500 grams of shabu a week.

Maramba said investigation is underway identify the couple’s cohorts.

The woman was detained at the PDEA-7 office pending the filing of charges against her./CORRESPONDENTS NORMAN V. MENDOZA, CHITO O. ARAGON, FE MARIE D. DUMABOC AND JOY CHERRY S. QUITO