By Jennifer P. Rendon
In just one week, nearly PHP22 million worth of illegal drugs were seized in a series of anti-narcotics operations across Western Visayas.
From October 7 to 13, various units of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) conducted 73 anti-drug operations, resulting in the arrest of 107 individuals.
These operations were part of PRO-6’s Birada Semana, a weeklong enhanced managing police operations (E-MPO) initiative that focuses on anti-criminality, the arrest of wanted persons, and the crackdown on illegal drugs and gambling.
The anti-narcotics operations led to the confiscation of 3.234 kilograms of shabu, with a standard drug price of PHP21,992,560.
This figure nearly doubled last month’s drug haul, valued at PHP12.166 million, and surpassed August’s Birada Semana total of PHP11.250 million.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) led in terms of the volume of shabu confiscated, seizing 1.406 kilograms worth PHP9,560,800.
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) came in second, recovering shabu valued at PHP6,441,640, while the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) confiscated illegal drugs worth PHP4,085,100.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOcPPO) placed fourth with PHP861,220 in drug seizures, followed by the Antique Police Provincial Office (AnPPO) with PHP442,000, Capiz PPO with PHP377,400, Aklan PPO with PHP183,600, and Guimaras PPO with PHP40,800.
For this month’s Birada Semana, the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU) 6, known for conducting high-value anti-drug operations, did not report any drug-related operations.
However, it should be noted that just a week earlier, RPDEU-6 seized over PHP7 million worth of illegal drugs in a single operation in Oton, Iloilo.
Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental PPO conducted the most operations at 28, followed by ICPO and BCPO with 14 each, and IPPO with 13.
