CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Nearly 500 individuals were arrested by the Police Regional Office Region III (PRO-3) during anti-criminality drives conducted from July 19 to 22.
Brigadier General Jose Hidalgo, director of PRO-3, said a total of 488 individuals were nabbed during the intensified Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO) of different police stations in the region.
Some 28 of the arrested suspects are tagged as most wanted personalities, while 146 have standing warrants of arrests for various crimes.
Police also arrested 184 persons for illegal drugs, 127 individuals for illegal gambling and three were listed as members of criminal gangs.
A total of 724.97 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and 54.40 grams of dried marijuana leaves with a combined value of P4,636,205.20 were also confiscated during the operations.
Arrested persons also yielded some P51,389 cash bets while 32 loose firearms were confiscated.
Some 94 firearms were turned-in for safe keeping.
Hidalgo said the conduct of SACLEO is part of the crime mitigation efforts of the Philippine National Police to deprive criminals with the opportunity to commit crimes.
“This should serve as a warning to all criminals that the full arm of the law will be used against them should they still prefer to continue disrupting peace and order in the region,” he said.