WOMAN, SON NABBED FOR TRANSPORTING P170-M SHABU FROM MASBATE TO CEBU CITY

A 63-YEAR-OLD woman and her son on Thursday were arrested for transporting some 25 kilograms of shabu worth P170 million from Masbate to Cebu City.

The suspects were identified as 41-year-old “Edward,” the driver of the car and a resident of Isabel, Leyte, and his mother “Edna,” 63, a resident of Bgy. Ermita, Cebu City.

The two were in a car when they were intercepted by members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Seaport Interdiction Unit inside the Cebu City Pier 4 in Bgy. Carreta during a routine K-9 inspection around 7:30 a.m. Thursday.

A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a big carton box loaded with 25 plastic packs, each containing a kilo of shabu valued at P70 million.

Also seized from the suspects were three cellphones and identification cards.

Police also impounded the  suspects car.

Chemists of the PDEA 7 Regional Office Laboratory conducted an on-site screening test on the recovered substances, which yielded a positive result for the presence of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

The recorded pieces of drug evidence will be submitted to the PDEA 7 laboratory for confirmatory test and for proper disposition.

Authorities are investigating if the arrested woman and her son are working as “couriers” of a big-time drug trafficking syndicate.

An investigation is also underway on how the two managed to transport the huge volume of drugs from the Masbate port undetected by authorities.

The arrested suspects were locked-up at the local PDEA detention facility facing non-bailable charges for transport and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.