Nearly P90-B illegal drugs seized before end of PRRD term

(File photo)

MANILA – Authorities have seized a total of PHP89.79 billion worth of narcotics across the country a month before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office.

In its latest Real Numbers data as of May 31 and released on Tuesday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the amount includes PHP77.01 billion worth of shabu.

Since the start of the Duterte administration in mid-2016, authorities have destroyed 8,195 kilograms (kg.) of shabu, 5, 111.76 kgs of marijuana, 23.7 kgs of ecstasy, 534 kg. of cocaine, and 3,491 kg. of other dangerous drugs while dismantling a total of 1,197 drug dens and 19 clandestine shabu laboratories.

A total of 15,271 high-value targets (HVTs) across the country were arrested since the anti-illegal drugs campaign was launched on July 1, 2016.

The figure includes 6,873 HVTs arrested from high-impact operations, 4,052 target-listed suspects, 1,719 drug den maintainers, 800 drug group leaders/members, 533 government employees, 406 elected officials, 364 foreigners, 295 included on wanted lists, 127 uniformed personnel, 78 armed group members and 24 prominent personalities.

Authorities also arrested 345,216 individuals involved in illegal drugs during the period.

As of May this year, the consolidated report showed 6,252 drug suspects have died during 239,218 anti-illegal drug operations.

In the same period, authorities also arrested 4,414 minors -- which consists of 2,666 pushers,1,012 possessors, 455 users, 247 visitors to drug dens, 10 drug den maintainers, 18 drug den workers, three cultivators, one clandestine laboratory worker, and two runners.

The rescued minors, after court proceedings, will be turned over to the Bahay Pag-asa centers of local government units (LGUs) within eight hours of police custody, before turning them over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Since they are minors, the DSWD said they would not be put behind bars together with hardened criminals.

At least 25,361 out of the 42,045 barangays (villages) have been declared drug-cleared as of May 31 while 6,573 barangays were drug unaffected/drug-free barangays and 10,112 have yet to be cleared of illegal drugs.

These barangays have reached drug-cleared status after the issuance of a certification by members of the oversight committee on the barangay drug-clearing program. (PNA)

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