THE anti-illegal drug operatives in the Central Visayas have confiscated more than P19 million worth of illegal drugs and hundreds of unlicensed firearms and arrested hundreds of drug personalities, wanted persons and gamblers during their Synchronized Enhanced Managing of Police Operations (SEMPO) last weekend.
The regionwide anti-criminality operations started at 12:01 a.m. on April 9 until 12:01 a.m. the following day, which resulted in the arrest of 163 drug personalities and the seizure of suspected shabu weighing almost two kilos with a street value of P13,015,064 and 53 kilos of marijuana worth P6,336,000.
The drugs confiscated included the P1.3 kilos of shabu and thousands of marijuana plants throughout Cebu City.
The police also confiscated 222 loose firearms and arrested 216 wanted persons and 278 illegal gamblers along with P20,186 bet money and gambling paraphernalia during the one-day SEMPO in the different parts of Central Visayas.
Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, head of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7), credited the community for giving information about the illegal drug activities in their area that led to the success of their anti-criminality and law enforcement operations.
"The strong support and positive community-police relations have helped us in the success of the operation and reduce crime in the Visayas," Vega said.
Vega also ordered all the city and provincial police office directors to strengthen their anti-criminality campaign to further reduce crimes in the region and to monitor the presence of goons that would possibly be hired by politicians to sow terror during the election period. (AYB, TPT)