The police seized PHP431 million worth of illegal drugs in separate operations across the country in one day on Sept. 14, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Wednesday.
In a statement, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the largest single operation took place at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), where authorities intercepted 15 abandoned inbound parcels containing approximately 28.324 kilograms of suspected shabu, 4.746 kilograms of kush or high-grade marijuana, and 122 kilograms of suspected liquid shabu, with a combined estimated value of PHP382.72 million.
In Taytay, Rizal, a joint operation resulted in the arrest of four suspects and the recovery of approximately 6 kilograms of suspected shabu valued at PHP40.8 million and one M16 rifle and four .45-caliber pistols.
Meanwhile, separate police operations in Cagayan de Oro City led to the arrest of two suspects and the confiscation of 160 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP1.09 million, while an anti-illegal drug operation in Mountain Province resulted in the discovery and destruction of approximately 35,000 fully grown marijuana plants valued at PHP7.2 million. No cultivator was arrested during the operation.
“These results reflect the value of being alert, coordinated, and ready to act on information. We are not simply waiting for illegal drugs to reach our communities—we are working with our partners to intercept them along the way. Tuloy-tuloy ang trabaho natin (Our work continues), and we will continue to strengthen the operations that protect our people,” Nartatez said.
80 anti-illegal fishing ops in W. Visayas
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) sustained its campaign against illegal fishing, arresting 118 individuals in 80 operations conducted across Western Visayas from Sept. 1-15, with confiscated fish, fishing paraphernalia, and other equipment worth at PHP10.895 million, Western Visayas police chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said.
In a separate statement, Tuaño said that based on the consolidated report, police units recorded PHP154,050 worth of fish and PHP10,343,300 worth of fishing paraphernalia and other equipment, including motorboats, seized from Sept. 1 to 14.
He said the sustained operations demonstrate the commitment of police units to protecting the region’s marine resources and supporting communities whose livelihoods depend on lawful fishing activities.
“Our waters are a shared resource, and protecting them requires sustained enforcement and cooperation from the communities we serve. We will continue to work closely with our local government units, partner agencies, and coastal communities to address illegal fishing and protect the livelihood of legitimate fisherfolk,” Tuaño said. (PNA)
