DURING a month-long campaign against illegal drugs in March 2024, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas successfully seized a significant amount of narcotics.
The operation resulted in the confiscation of approximately 6,709 grams of shabu and 42 grams of marijuana, with a total estimated value (shabu and marijuana) of P45,624,415.
These results stem from 194 police-initiated operations that led to the arrest of 242 suspected drug dealers.
In data released on April 8, 2024 by PRO-Western Visayas, the breakdown of arrests across provinces reveals contributions from various police units:
* Aklan Police Provincial Office (PPO): six arrests
* Antique: four arrests
* Capiz: eight arrests
* Guimaras: four arrests
* Iloilo Province: 42 arrests
* Iloilo City: 39 arrests
* Negros Occidental: 94 arrests
* Bacolod City: 31 arrests
* Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU)-Western Visayas: 14 arrests
RPDEU-Western Visayas yielded the most significant drug haul, seizing approximately 3,374 grams of shabu with an estimated value of P22,943,200.
The Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) followed closely with 1,369 grams of shabu confiscated with an estimated value of P9,309,200, and the Iloilo PPO with 651 grams with an estimated value of P4,426,800.
While shabu dominated the recovered drugs, marijuana was also present.
Negros Occidental, Capiz, and Aklan reported marijuana recoveries weighing 27 grams, 10 grams, and 5 grams, respectively.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, regional director of the Police Regional Office-Western Visayas, commended the exceptional efforts of all Drug Enforcement Units across the region for their relentless and aggressive operations against illegal drug traffickers.
“Maraming salamat po sa inyong walang humpay na operasyon laban sa illegal na droga. Hindi tayo titigil habang may mga indibidual na tumatangkilik at imbolbado sa mga ipinagbabawal na gamot na ito. Pangarap po natin na wala nang buhay ang masasayang dahil sa illegal na droga,” Wanky said.
(Thank you very much for your relentless operation against illegal drugs. We will not stop while there are individuals enjoying and being involved in these illegal drugs. Let's dream that no more lives will be wasted because of illegal drugs.) (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)