ILOILO — Police smashed a “drive-thru style” drug operation operating from inside a residential subdivision in Sta. Barbara town, confiscating more than 1.1 kilograms of suspected shabu worth about P7.5 million and arresting a suspect allegedly linked to a larger drug network run by a jailed high-profile personality.
The buy-bust operation, conducted around 5:30 p.m. on February 2 by the Police Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), led to the arrest of alias “Jaboy,” 35, a resident of Jaro, Iloilo City, at Deca Homes Subdivision in Barangay Balabag, and two others.
Police Major Dadje Delima, chief of the PDEU, said “Jaboy” is part of a line-up associated with another notorious drug personality, alias “Jovan,” who is currently incarcerated at the National Bilibid Prison.
Despite being behind bars, “Jovan” reportedly continues to influence drug sales, operating primarily within the 1st and 2nd districts of Iloilo province and Iloilo City.
Police said they had monitored the activities of “Jaboy” for nearly two months but encountered difficulty in penetrating his network due to the lack of a confidential asset.
Authorities thus relied heavily on information from local residents, who reported a steady flow of customers at the suspect’s location from morning until night.
Investigators said “Jaboy” operated with a relative from within the subdivision, using a “drive-thru” method by positioning themselves near the entrance to allow quick transactions with known buyers.
Authorities also noted that “Jaboy” has a prior drug case dating back to 2016 and was released in 2021 after entering a plea bargain, but police believe he never stopped his illegal activities.
The PDEU said “Jaboy” is only one of several “backup operatives” of “Jovan”, adding that his possible cooperation could provide information that may lead to further operations against the wider drug network./PN
