Four individuals were arrested after operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA 7), in coordination with the police, dismantled two drug dens in Cebu City and the town of Dalaguete on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
First operation in Cebu City
The first operation was conducted at 3:59 p.m. by the PDEA Cebu City Office and the Labangon Police Station on Salvador Extension, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City, resulting in the arrest of three individuals.
PDEA 7 Director Joel Plaza identified the suspects only by their aliases: "Edison," 47, the alleged maintainer of the drug den; "Ramil," 44, an e-bike driver and alleged assistant; and "Karlah," 38, a vendor who was allegedly caught using shabu inside the drug den.
Authorities seized seven packets of shabu weighing about 10 grams, with an estimated street value of P68,000, along with buy-bust money and various drug paraphernalia.
Second operation in Dalaguete
Around 8:40 p.m., the PDEA Cebu Provincial Office and the Dalaguete Police Station launched another anti-drug operation in Barangay Upper Balud, Dalaguete, Cebu.
The operation led to the arrest of a 40-year-old woman identified only as "Marivic." Her live-in partner, alias "Onik," managed to escape. Both are residents of Barangay Balud, Dalaguete.
Recovered from the operation were three packets of shabu weighing about 50 grams, with an estimated value of P340,000, a mobile phone, and other pieces of evidence.
Investigation and charges
PDEA 7 Information Officer Leia Alcantara said authorities had conducted a two-week case buildup on the Labangon drug den and a month-long surveillance on the Dalaguete drug den after receiving information from a confidential informant.
The seized evidence has been submitted to the PDEA 7 Regional Laboratory for chemical analysis, while charges are being prepared against the arrested suspects.
