P900T shabu seized in Carmen drug raid
The number 2 drug lord manning the drug syndicate in the province was arrested yesterday in his huge farm house in Carmen town after months of surveillance by combined SWAT, PDEA and police operatives.
Eddie Vaño, tagged as Level 1 drug personality in the province yielded around 80 grams of shabu with estimated value of P994,000, is the biggest single haul operation this year.
Vaño has long been hunted by operatives as his drug operation covers most of the towns, including the city wherein he has no less than 30 drug pushers directly working under him. The elusive drug lord is known by the police as one who really knows the intricacies in drug trafficking.
Vaño, according to PNP records, operates with a well fueled manpower and is known to be extravagant in bribing those involved in his drug distribution. His supply comes from various sources, including Muntinlupa, which are now being verified by the police.
The haul could have been more than P1 million worth of shabu. However, the Carmen based drug lord was able to distribute part of his P1 million supply earlier in the day.
Police Senior Inspector Ricardo Tero led the raiding team comprising personnel of the Provincial Intelligence Branch, Special Operations Group, and the Provincial Public Safety Company-SWAT Team.
In coordination with PDEA, they swooped down Vaño’s Farm House in barangay Fatima at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday based on a search warrant No. 2016-01 issued by Judge Leo Moises Lison of the Regional Trial Court Branch 3 in Tagbilaran City.
Aside from the volume of shabu, the raiding team also seized a high-caliber firearm and ammunition from Vaño—Armscor caliber 45 with serial number 091317, an unregistered caliber 38 revolver, seven rounds of caliber 45 ammunition, nine rounds of 9mm ammunition, 13 rounds of caliber 357 ammunition; and assorted drug paraphernalia.
The 59-year-old Vaño is now detained at the lock-up jail of the Bohol Police Provincial Office at Camp Dagohoy. Formal charges for citation of Sec. 11, Art II of Republic Act 9165 will be filed tomorrow.
Tero said a Level 1 drug personality usually disposes more than 300 grams of shabu at a time.
Police Prov’l Supt. Dennis Agustin who is relentless in his fight against drugs said the syndicated operation of Vaño’s group suffered a major setback with his arrest amidst a well organized drug proliferation in the province.