THE Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas (PRO-8) confiscated a total of P793.714 million worth of illegal drugs and accounted for 1,125 drug personalities from January to December 2019.
Brigadier General Ferdinand Divina, police regional director, branded these as "a big success for the year 2019.”
“We will continue our efforts in combating criminalities in the region to maintain the safety and security of the community,” said Divina.
Of the 1,125 drug personalities, 17 were neutralized, 711 were arrested and 397 surrendered.
Of those arrested, 607 were on the watchlist and 104 were newly identified, according to PRO-8 spokesperson Ma. Bella Rentuaya.
Of those who surrendered, 390 were on the watchlist while seven were newly identified.
On anti-illegal gambling, the regional police conducted a total of 463 operations which resulted in the arrest of 1,165 bettors, 49 ushers, 12 players, 15 collectors, nine operators, and five maintainers.
A total of P367,122.50 bet money was confiscated and 450 cases were filed in court.
Police also arrested 478 persons and filed 136 cases in court after 335 anti-illegal logging operations.
The operations led to the confiscation of 143,783.68 board feet of lumber amounting to P9.98 million.
PRO-Eastern Visayas also seized 38 chainsaws and 129 different types of conveyances.
Of their 1,612 anti-illegal fishing operations, police arrested 3,462 individuals while P201.519 million worth of fish and fishing paraphernalia were seized.
Meanwhile, police served 3,538 warrants of arrest and arrested 25 persons who were among the most wanted in the province, 39 most wanted in the city, 238 most wanted in the municipal level, and 16 who were station level most wanted.
At least 318 individuals who were included in the top 10 most wanted persons were nabbed by police last year.
Also, a total of 3,357 other wanted persons were arrested.