By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) acting director, Police Colonel Leo Pamittan, believes the P10.2 million suspected shabu seized in San Carlos City last week may have originated from another region.

According to Pamittan, the haul itself can be regarded as “alarming” and it is possible that it was smuggled via the city’s coastline.

Pamittan said he doesn’t believe that the shabu they seized in the operation was manufactured in the province and he is now seeking the assistance of other law enforcement agencies in the province in order to stop smuggling of illegal drugs into the province.

He has also ordered the police chiefs in the province to be more aggressive in arresting drug personalities.

Pamittan has also lauded the San Carlos City Police Station, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other law enforcement groups involved in the operation for arresting the top one priority drug target in the city.

Last week, a joint buy-bust operation by elements of NOCPPO, Regional Drug Enforcement Unit-6 and PDEA resulted in the arrest of 24-year-old Joel Rizardo, the No. 1 high-value drug target in the city.

Police recovered eight plastic sachets of suspected shabu, suspected drug money amounting to P3,600, and a paper bag containing the P3,500 buy-bust money.

The seized illegal drugs have a combined weight of 1.5 kilos and valued at P10.2 million./DGB, WDJ