A suspected big-time drug dealer was allegedly caught in possession of shabu worth P2.2 million in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by a composite team of various police units in Panglao before dawn on Friday.

According to Panglao chief of police Sr. Insp. Romar Labasbas, suspect Rey Jacquese Cesar Araña was dealing illegal drugs for a detainee at the Bohol District Jail (BDJ) who himself has connections with drug personalities inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

The narcotics seized from Araña were supposed to be distributed to drug runners in various villages in Panglao particularly coastal ones where resorts are located, said Labasbas.

Some of the drugs were intended to be peddled to tourists, he added.

Authorities have already started to look into the identity of the BDJ detainee who has allegedly been dealing large quantities of shabu through Araña.

Although Araña has allegedly been dealing shabu in bulk, he was tagged as a newly identified drug personality.

The sting operation against him was set in motion after an alleged drug pusher who was earlier arrested pinpointed him as his shabu source.

A composite team comprised of the Panglao police, the Provincial Intelligence Branch, Maritime Police Station and Drug Enforcement Group then carried out the buy-bust against Araña who allegedly sold shabu worth P180,000 to an undercover cop.

The same tipster who informed police on Araña’s operation claimed that most of the alleged big-time dealer’s drug runners were from Leyte.

Drugs distributed by the group were also sourced from Leyte and other provinces as he noted that some shabu were being smuggled into Bohol through the Tagbilaran City port.

X-ray machines at the port were not able to detect shabu hidden inside plastic containers, he claimed. (W. Maestrado)