THE seizure of P1.8 million worth of Nubain eroded its supply in Cebu City, after one of the alleged dealers of the regulated painkiller was arrested during a buy-bust last Friday.
Supt. Henry Biñas of the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch (PIDMB) said that Leonarda Lim’s buyers come from Cebu City, particularly Barangay Kamagayan.
Police will file today a complaint against Lim for alleged violations of Republic Act 9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 at the Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office. She faces life imprisonment if convicted.
Success in cutting off illegal access to the painkiller may also help curb the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, an official said, as most people who have it acquired it through injectible drugs like Nubain.
Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) Chairman Joey Herrera urged for stricter implementation of the law to stop the trading of illegal drugs.
“I’m not surprised at all (that the alleged buyers were traced to Kamagayan), because the barangay is a known area for drugs,” he said.
Cosap has conducted information drives several times in the barangay to make people aware of its dangers, such as the risk of acquiring HIV by sharing needles, Herrera said.
“But somehow it’s still a question to us that its presence continues up to now,” he said.
In the latest report of the City Health Department’s (CHD) HIV/Aids Detection Unit, 20 more Cebu City residents were confirmed to have contracted HIV last month.
Of the 20 new persons with HIV, 19 are alleged drug users who are believed to have acquired the virus by sharing needles and syringes with other drug users.
Lim, 51, was arrested in a buy-bust operation led by PIDMB operatives last Friday night in Talisay City.
Seized from her possession were 6,000 ampules of nalbuphine hydrochloride with a street value of P1.8 million.
Although Lim earlier admitted she sells Nubain to support her five children, she denied the allegation yesterday, Biñas said.
He also said they will verify with the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) if Lim was truly a nurse. She previously claimed to be one, when interrogated by the police.
The boxes of the painkiller ampules were submitted for examination to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory 7.
During the interview, Biñas revealed Lim’s provider is from Manila. They obtained the name, an alias. He declined to reveal it as of press time, in order not to hamper their operation.
Lim’s arrest came after a tip that the police received two weeks ago. She was immediately put under surveillance until the operation.
A police decoy met Lim at the parking lot of a mall in Talisay City, supposedly to buy P600,000 worth of Nubain ampules. The suspect was arrested after receiving the buy-bust money.
