P40.8-M worth of shabu seized in Iloilo drug bust

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Police scored their biggest anti-illegal drug bust following the arrest of a 29-year-old woman in Janiuay, Iloilo morning of Dec. 17.

Miklyn Acosta was nabbed at Sitio Siga-Siga, Barangay Don T. Lutero East, Janiuay around 7:33 a.m. Sunday.

Acosta, who hails from Mindanao, is actually residing at her live-in partner’s place in Barangay Simon Ledesma, Jaro, Iloilo City,

Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6), together with personnel from the Janiuay Municipal Police Station and 603rd Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, led the operation against Acosta who is accused of selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P26,000.

Captain Glenn Soliman, RPDEU-6 team leader, said that they first transacted with Acosta’s cohort, a certain Jaymark Biare of Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro.

But it was Acosta who handed them the illegal drugs and took the marked money.

Moments before Acosta’s arrest, Biare managed to board his motorcycle and fled.

Operatives then seized four bags, 22 knot-tried plastic packs, and 15 sachets of suspected shabu after scouring Acosta’s house.

Police also seized P1,300 cash, digital weighing scales, a phone, and non-drug items.

Soliman said the seized drugs weighed around 6 kilograms and valued at P40,800,000.

Aside from Acosta and Biare, police said they also monitored two other suspects but they were not in the area during the operation.

Acosta had no previous arrests and was believed to have been drawn into the drug trade because of her shabu use.

Acosta and several others were allegedly working for an Iloilo City-based drug distributor who also has connections with an inmate at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP).

“They’re just bodegero (warehouse personnel) and they don’t earn much. They’re just paid a portion from the sales of the shabu in their possession,” Soliman said.

Two weeks ago, Soliman was quoted to have said that they were expecting a big supply of shabu intended for Christmas and Dinagyang Festival distributions.

“At that time, we have already monitored that there’s a distributor planning to sneak a big volume of shabu supply in Iloilo,” he said.

If shabu supply is scarce in Bacolod City, the group could also allocate some.

Soliman said Acosta and Biate were working for the same distributor of a couple who was arrested at Dolmax Subdivision in Barangay Camalig in Jaro, Iloilo City on Nov. 9.

He was referring to Sianon Feo, 39, of Zone 1, Bo. Obrero, Lapuz, Iloilo City; his live-in partner Ann  Acosta, 35; and their housemaid Rosse Ann Abanero, 34, of Barangay Taytay Zone 2, Jaro, Iloilo City.

RPDEU-6 operatives recovered 3 kilos of shabu worth P20,400,000 during the operation.

Despite evading arrest, Biare would also be charged along with Acosta for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).