The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday seized shabu worth P1.5 million during an anti-drug operation which resulted in the arrest of two high-value drug targets in an island barangay in Calape.

PDEA Bohol chief Joseph Atila said that his agents along with police operatives from the Regional Special Operations Group 7, Calape Police and Bohol Drug Enforcement Unit collared Isagani Dele Cruz, the drug group’s alleged leader and his cohort Raffy Gaviola during a buy-bust operation at the former’s residence in Barangay Panggangan.

Atila noted that Dela Cruz’s group may have had a wide distribution network and more members based on the amount of shabu seized from him.  

Dela Cruz’s shabu stash is one of the largest single-bust drug hauls this year.

“With 225 grams, dili na ni siguro sila street level na mga pusher kay dako-dako na man na kinahanglan ani na puhonan,” he said.

According to Atila, both men are natives of Talisay, Cebu who transferred their drug operations to Bohol last year to lay low.

“Akong teorya is tungod kay init na sila sa Cebu namalhin sila sa Bohol and they transferred their operations here,” Atila said.

The group drew the PDEA’s attention after their neighbors raised complaints against their illegal activities prompting the agency to launch surveillance operations, which lasted for two months.

 “Kinig balay gipatuog ni aning Isagani, dako-dako ni siya na balay and to think na kining tawhana walay ni siya pangita…ang impormasyon started sa mga silingan kay nabalaka na sila sa ilang mga anak,” he added.

Both men are now detained at the Tagbilaran City Police Station lock-up jail pending the filing of charges against them.

Atila said that Dela Cruz was previously arrested for a drug charge in Cebu but his case was dismissed after the arresting police who handled his case was shot in an unrelated shooting incident. (A. Doydora)