Shabu middleman now party drugs king?

The alleged middleman in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment that slipped past the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in 2017 is being looked at anew as the possible supplier of party drugs in Cebu.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) disclosed yesterday that controversial businessman Kenneth Dong is being tagged as the distributor of Ecstasy tablets being sold to rich teenagers in various clubs in the Queen City of the South. The reports are still being validated though.

Senior Supt. Royina Garma, CCPO director, said police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency(PDEA)-7 are now monitoring some clubs where party drugs are reportedly being distributed. Investigators, she said, are looking into the possible involvement of Dong.

Based on the incorporation documents of LIV super club, a disco entertainment area in Mandaue City, Dong is one of the stockholders of the club.

Garma revealed that aside from Ecstasy tablets, liquefied shabu is also proliferating in some resto bars and clubs.

AFP Photo Representation “But we still don’t know if it’s his. It’s still speculative, but PDEA knows that,” she said.

On 4 February,Dong was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation in Muntinlupa City for his alleged involvement as middleman in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment 2 years ago.

On 7 February elements of the PDEA-7 arrested a call center agent in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City identified as Elvin Joseph Laput, 24, in a buy-bust operation which yielded 15 Ecstasy tablets.

PDEA-7 Director Wardley Getalla said Laput’s name surfaced as one of the suppliers of Ecstasy during the Sinulog season last month.

Meanwhile, President Duterte on Saturday vowed justice for the death of a 19-year-old student who died from overdose of suspected party drugs while attending a pre-Sinulog party last month.

“The parents of Ashley, the girl who died, went to my office. She was beautiful, only 19, a medical student,” the President said in an attempt to illustrate how illegal drugs have ruined the lives of the youth.

The parents of victim Ashley Abad met with the President in Malacañang last Thursday where they sought Duterte’s help.

“This time, I will tell you and i’ve been repeating it all along.