Poor security at ports allows narcotics trade to flourish in Cebu, says NBI official

Cebu’s drug trade is booming because of lax security at the country’s various points of entry, a high-ranking official of the National Bureau of Investigation said yesterday.

NBI Deputy Director for Regional Operations Service Virgilio Mendez made the statement yesterday after NBI agents arrested Nigerian businessman James Cunta Okwudili Uyanneh in a buy-bust operation at an inn in Mandaue City reclamation area.

According to Mendez, foreign nationals are able to penetrate local markets like Cebu because there is less security at airports and seaports.

“These prohibited drugs are not seen in the X-ray scans because they are well-placed. This can just be detected by sniffing dogs, but of course, these dogs get tired. So there’s really a need to improve the manner of inspecting luggages at the entry points,” he said.

Mendez explained that before foreigners transact business in the local market, they study the security of an area and recruit local mules, who are mostly females.

drop-off point

Mendez added that in general, the Philippines has become a drop-off point for foreign drug traders.

“There’s a change in this field. Before, the Philippines was just a trans-shipment point; now, it has become a drop-off point,” he said.

The NBI said they recovered from Uyanneh 500 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P350,000.

In a follow-up operation on Thursday, NBI raided an apartment in Barangay Yati, Liloan, Cebu reportedly occupied by Uyanneh and live-in partner Susan. The NBI said they found 700 grams of shabu worth P3.5 million pesos in a travelling bag.

Uyanneh has repeatedly denied that he was selling shabu, saying the shabu taken from him had been planted by the police. He also denied he had a live-in partner.

In separate operations conducted yesterday, the Cebu City police seized P7.8 million worth of shabu from an alleged pusher, in Barangay Sawang Calero while an NBI team raided a drug den in barangay Mambaling, Cebu City and arrested it’s alleged maintainer.

Police arrested Roger Rojas, 29, an alleged pusher, from whom they recovered 26 packs of shabu in a buy-bust operation held at past 4 a.m. Each pack contained 50 grams of shabu with a street value of P300,000.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, who heads the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office, said Rojas was a Level 1 drug pusher, which meant that he could dispose not less than a kilo of shabu per week.

Santander said Rojas had given them names of people involved in his illegal drug transactions.

In an interview, Rojas admitted that it was his second time to get involved in a drug deal.

“Igo raman na i-deliver sa ako, unya magpa-abot lang ko og tawag sa amo nga nay tawo mokuha sa butang (I just deliver the goods. I wait for my boss to call and give the signal that somebody will pick it up)”, said Rojas.

He said that he earns P2,500 to P3,00 for every transaction.

“Natintal jud ko sa kwarta (I got tempted by money),” he said.

Mambaling drug den

Yesterday morning, NBI agents arrested Zenaida Ampalayo who was accused of operating a drug den in barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

Ampalayo, 58, was the subject of a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Silvestre Maamo Jr. of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court. The NBI agents confiscated a pack of shabu from Ampalayo.

Three men who were inside the house rented by Ampalayo were also taken into custody.

According to NBI Special Investigator Larry Dominguez, the three men will be subjected to a urine test to find out if they are using illegal drugs.

Wake-up call

Meanwhile, Mendez challenged concerned government agencies in Cebu to do more in stopping the drug trade in the province.

“This is a wake-up call. This is everybody’s concern. There must be an improvement in the inspection,” the NBI official said. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Chito Aragon, Michelle Padayhag and Inquirer