MORE than P25 million worth of illegal drugs were seized during the Synchronized Anti-Criminality and Law Enforcement Operation (Sacleo) in Central Visayas over the weekend.
The one-day Sacleo conducted by the different police stations started from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 13, until 12:01 a.m. Sunday, August 14.
The biggest amount of drugs were confiscated from 18-year-old suspect John Alex Villaraz in Mandaue City and Raffy Chavez Hermona of Barangay Dapdap, Toledo City in midwest Cebu.
Villaraz and Hermona yielded P10.2 million and P7.4 million worth of suspected shabu, respectively.
Based on data from the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO 7), the drugs confiscated from Villaraz and Hermona formed part of the 3.7 kilos of shabu with a standard drug price of P25,420,780 that they seized during the anti-illegal drug operations.
Aside from the illegal drugs, the PRO 7 also conducted 130 anti-illegal gambling operations that resulted in the arrest of 295 gamblers and P27,000 bet money.
The PRO 7 also sequestered a total of 251 unlicensed guns and explosives, and arrested 24 most wanted persons and 209 others who have pending warrants of arrest.
“The regionwide Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations aims at reducing crime and strengthening public safety with the support of the community to the mandates of the Philippine National Police,” PRO 7 Director Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, information officer of the Cebu City Police Office, admitted that the police alone cannot solve the problem on illegal drugs without the cooperation of the public.
“Sa inyung nasayran aduna lang gani ta sa usa ka adlaw worth P5 million worth of shabu sa usa ka operation, so that is the kadako sa problem no nga atoang gi-atubang karon. It has always been a continuing menace of our society kanang illegal drugs,” Macatangay said.
"As far as you know, there is P5 million worth of shabu in an operation in one day, so this shows how big the problem is. It has always been a continuing menace of our society that illegal drugs," Macatangay said.
Macatangay explained that because of their relentless campaign against illegal drugs in Cebu City, other drug personalities have transferred to another place, but she added that they will still be caught.
General Vega revealed that their campaign against criminality will continue to keep the community safe. (AYB, TPT)