AROUND P14.89 billion worth of illegal drugs have been seized and more than 45,000 drug suspects have been arrested in anti-drug operations from January to Sept. 4, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said 37,401 police operations were conducted that resulted in the arrest of 45,546 drug suspects and confiscation of P14.89 billion worth of illegal drugs.
Tuaño also said this included P628.4 million worth of illegal drugs seized in a series of nationwide operations from Aug. 29 to Sept. 4.
He said that during the same week, 1,046 operations resulted in the arrest of 1,213 suspects and the seizure of 92,167 kg. of shabu, 492 of marijuana leaves, 8,293 marijuana plants and two grams of ecstasy.
In the campaign against wanted persons, the PNP information chief said 1,005 most wanted persons and seven other wanted persons were arrested during intensified manhunt operations.
In the same press briefing, Quezon City Police District acting district director Col. Randy Glenn Silvio said that a total of 187 persons facing various offenses were arrested in police operations in Quezon City from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6.
During the same week, Silvio said a total of 46 anti-illegal drug operations were conducted that led to the arrest of 69 drug suspects and confiscation of P599,238 worth of illegal drugs.
He added that a total of 20 anti-illegal gambling operations were conducted, which resulted in the arrest of 34 gamblers and confiscation of P11,751 in bet money, while for the campaign against wanted persons, 80 Wanted Persons were arrested, wherein 37 were Most Wanted Persons and 43 Other Wanted Persons.
Four operations against loose firearms were conducted, leading to the recovery of four firearms and the arrest of four individuals.
Appropriate charges have been filed against the arrested persons, including violations of Republic Act (RA) 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002); Presidential Decree 1602 (Illegal Gambling Law); and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), respectively, before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
P1.16B illegal drugs
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confiscated P1.16 billion worth of illegal drugs in a series of nationwide operations from Aug. 29 to Sept. 5.
In a separate statement on Monday, the PDEA said 48 operations resulted in the arrest of 101 suspects and the seizure of 169,557.58 kg. of shabu, 10,250 fully grown marijuana plants, 272.63 grams of marijuana fruiting tops, and 1,000 pieces of marijuana seedlings. / PNA