Various drug enforcement teams under the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) have seized PHP2.798 million worth of suspected shabu in the past week.
Col. Romeo Baleros, provincial police director, said on Tuesday the illegal drugs recovered reached 279.82 grams in 12 operations from January 6 to 12.
The operations resulted in the arrest of 24 suspects and the filing of 25 cases in court.
The biggest haul was 250 grams with an estimated street value of PHP2.5 million seized from four men arrested during a pension house buy-bust in Binalbagan town at dawn on Sunday.
“We are exerting collective efforts to really paralyze the operation of illegal drugs syndicate in the island. Still, since this is a lucrative, illegal business, we cannot just stop them,” Baleros said in a press conference.
He added that Binalbagan is not a priority target area for anti-drug operations, yet a large volume of shabu has been recovered in the southern Negros town.
“We are concentrating on Silay City, Talisay City, Hinigaran, Kabankalan City, San Carlos City, and Calatrava. This means that they counter what we do. If we concentrate on big cities and municipalities, they go to small towns,” Baleros said.
However, drug transactions in non-priority areas are still intercepted by the police as a result of intensive intelligence operations, he added.
On January 10, suspect Henelou Pacino, 26, yielded PHP105,000 in shabu during a buy-bust in Barangay 3, Silay City.
Six persons, including two minors, possessing PHP120,000 worth of shabu were arrested in Barangay 5, San Carlos City on January 6.
Baleros said that large volume of drugs usually arrives during festivals, and it is possible that the shabu seized in Binalbagan could be intended for nearby Kabankalan City, which celebrates the Sinulog de Kabankalan from January 10 to 16.
In the north, Cadiz City is also celebrating the Dinagsa Festival on January 18 to 26, an event that can also bring in supply of illegal drugs, Baleros said.
(Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)