The massive anti-drugs campaign in Western Visayas has yielded suspected shabu with an estimated street value of about P46.12 million and marijuana worth P10,320 in a month.
Data from the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) showed that from February 15 to March 15, the 201 police operations conducted by various police units in the region led to the arrest of 52 high-value targets and 207 street individuals, as well as the seizure of 6,783.26 grams of suspected shabu and 86 grams of marijuana.
PRO-6 director, Brigadier General Jack Wanky, in an interview yesterday, said the sustained illegal drugs campaign proved to be his biggest accomplishment since he assumed his post last month.
“We have seen the dedication of our policemen. We are really happy with what they are accomplishing as far as illegal drugs are concerned,” he said.
He noted that due to the intense campaign against illegal drugs in Metro Manila, the remaining stocks are shipped to various provinces, as evidenced by the huge volume seized in various sting operations.
The biggest yield in this region, so far, came from the operations in Iloilo City, wherein suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P23.6 million was seized, followed by Iloilo province with P12.27 million, Negros Occidental with P6.1 million, and Bacolod City with P2.32 million.
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Colonel Joeresty Coronica, in a separate interview, said Iloilo City as a regional center is considered as a transshipment point. Thus, while most of the transactions are here, the drugs are intended for distribution outside the city.
He said the regional director ordered them to focus on big transactions, so they seized many high-value individuals.
“We should not be alarmed by the big recoveries,” he said, adding that before the drugs reach the streets, the police have already seized the substance during operations.
He said the challenge is preventing the entry of drugs through roll-on, roll-off or barges, because most of the supply comes from Luzon.
On Monday, March 18, the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit-6, with support from various units of the ICPO, arrested three high-value individuals and two street-level individuals during a sting in Barangay Tanza, Baybay in Iloilo City, and confiscated 1,955 grams of suspected shabu, valued at P7.17 million. (PNA)