BY CALVIN D. CORDOVA
CEBU CITY – As long as drug lords have access to cell phones even inside their detention cells, illegal drug trade will continue to thrive.
This was the assertion of Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Fereo, chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, after the Cebu City Police Office seized P47 million worth of shabu from three men in Barangay Guadalupe last Sunday.
The three are new recruits of drug convict Rustico Ygot, who is serving his sentence at the Zamboanga Penal Colony.
Aside from the Ygot group, Fereo claimed there are still other drug syndicates operating in Metro Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas.
“We are continuously monitoring these groups because their activities will continue as long as these jailed drug lords can freely use cell phones to continue their transactions,” said Ferro.
Ferro said these drug lords have links to international drug suppliers particularly in Myanmar.
Ferro said based on the packaging, the illegal drugs seized in Guadalupe were imported from a foreign country.
Aside from closely monitoring jails to prevent sneaking in of cell phones, Ferro said the police will also seek assistance from the Bureau of Customs to intercept drug shipment coming in through seaports.
“Drugs are being mixed with legal cargoes to avoid detection. We will request the Customs to help us come up with more stronger measures to stop the smuggling,” said Ferro.
While law enforcers have been seizing huge amount of illegal drugs, Ferro reiterated that the police have yet to monitor the presence of shabu laboratory operating in the region. (Calvin D. Cordova)
