THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional office based in Iloilo City is on tight watch over the entry of reported large volume of illegal drugs in time for the Dinagyang Festival this weekend.
PDEA Regional Director Paul Ledesma said they received information that illegal drug shipment would be passed through the ports, particularly in Iloilo City and the roll-on roll-off port in Nalu-oyan in Dumangas and in Estancia in the province of Iloilo.
Ledesma admitted that a vigorous campaign against prohibited drugs is being launched in cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, equipped with K-9 sniffing dogs to check the luggage brought by passengers disembarking among various ports of entry.
The operation also includes several jetty ports along the shorelines that could be used by drug traffickers as jump-off points to enter Iloilo during the Dinagyang festival.
Ledesma also identified four drug lords who control clandestine illegal drug operations in areas at Boulevard, Habog-Habog in Molo district; Tanza-Esperanza and Veterans Village in the City Proper; and Bakhaw in Mandurriao district.
The PDEA chief said these traffickers are being closely monitored, including their couriers and pushers. (LCP)