A Norwegian man has been arrested after allegedly being caught with shabu while walking through Cebu city centre.
Kenneth Olsen, aged 37, was detained yesterday evening (Tuesday, October 30) on Juana Osmena Street near Mango Square.
Carlos Balasoto of the Fuente Police Station said a patrolling officer was told by a bystander that they had seen two sachets of white powder fall from his pocket.
When he investigated, the officer said he found two sachets of shabu — the local name for crystal meth — and a cigarette lighter.
Officer Balasoto said that Olsen appeared to be drunk. Under further questioning, his colleague formed the suspicion that the Norwegian was out looking for a pipe so he could smoke the suspected shabu.
When asked how he came to be in possession of the drug, Olsen allegedly answered that he had asked a habal-habal driver (motorcycle-for-hire driver) to buy it for him.
Later, when officers checked on where the Norwegian was staying in the city, they allegedly discovered that he had done a runner on a hotel without paying.
After police contacted the hotel, staff told them that Olsen checked in at the hotel last Friday and had left without paying some time since then.
Olsen remains in detention at Fuente Police Station pending the filing of drug charges against him. Although not yet confirmed, these are likely to be under section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165. If found guilty of carrying more than five grams of the drug, Olsen could face life imprisonment.
According to his Facebook timeline, Olsen was an outspoken advocate of legalised marijuana and has been in the Philippines since at least July.
Follow our Facebook page for daily news updates
…
Let him rot in jail, one stupid idiot less to care for.
Fuck off pal he’s a sound lad just messed up I know him..
Agreed
Sverre mortveit how can u even come with a comment like that???! Lifetime in philipines prisson for a smal think that only damage himself(in his case atleast), no one else… he is good guy that had his own things to deal with! He is not murderer or pedofile for fuck sake.
Youre creazy, life for 5 gs is ridiculous
You would think that casual drug users who come to the Philippines would be aware of the harsh penalties here and not use while they are here … seriously you have to be some kind of special to risk it … even more special admitting it to the cops …
It appears the last 6 months have been quite active for Non-Filipinos – many have been killed, arrested, and caught up in bad situations. I think it is best to visit somewhere else. I am taking my American dollars elsewhere – remember women are all over the world and are just as lovely Good luck to the rest of you, I shall cheer for you.