Anti-illegal drugs campaign to continue amid pandemic

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug. 3 (PIA) – “We, at the law enforcement expected that during this pandemic there would be fewer activities in illegal drugs, as we are under a community quarantine. But if you will base it on our successful operations, you can see that they [drug dealers] still operate.”

This was the statement of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Information Officer Rose Bajao during a recently held “Talakayan sa PIA” virtual media forum, citing they had nabbed illegal drugs suspect from the start of the quarantine period in March this year.

“In our July operations alone, we already had 21 successful operations of which 16 are PDEA operations alone and five are joint PDEA-PNP operations,” Bajao said. 

Aside from the PDEA operations, the PNP-10 had also made a total of 929 successful operations from March 1 – July 22 this year with 1,236 drug-related suspects apprehended and 13 others killed.

Further, their operations had led to the seizing of 6,284.505 grams of shabu with a street value of P42,734,643 and 67.796 grams of marijuana with a total market value of P 8,135.52.

“The illegal activity is ongoing. They are not afraid since transactions can be done through online. That is why there are still cases. But, even if the transactions are being done in that way, we have looked for a way to successfully track and stop this kind of activities,” she added.  

Meanwhile, PLTC Mardi Hortillosa, PNP spokesperson said, “we still have drug personalities that are still at large and had not yet been arrested. That is one of the reasons that there are still drugs.”

Despite this, law enforcement had not stopped its operations and will continue to run after those who are in the business of illegal drugs.

There have been municipalities and barangays that had been cleared by the law enforcers and will continue to do so until such time Region 10 will be declared a drug-free region. (JAKAraña/PIA10)

source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1049259