ILOILO CITY 鈥斅燭wo separate operations launched by the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) yielded 775 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of almost P5.3 million and the arrest of three individuals on Wednesday.
A report submitted by the ICPO to the mayor鈥檚 office showed that a buy-bust operation launched by the City Drugs Enforcement Unit against alias 鈥淏ulldog,鈥 a high-value individual (HVI), at around 7 p.m. in Barangay East Timawa resulted in the seizure of about 500 grams of shabu worth P3.4 million.
At 11:25 a.m. of the same day, Police Station 1 operatives arrested alias 鈥淚nday Lyndy,鈥 another HVI, and street-level individual alias 鈥淢ark鈥 in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Muelle Loney and seized 275 grams of shabu worth P1.87 million.
Mayor Jerry Tre帽as, in a statement released on Wednesday evening, expressed his 鈥渉eartfelt gratitude鈥 to the ICPO.
鈥淭he proactive efforts of the ICPO not only prevented the proliferation of these harmful substances but also saved countless Ilonggo families from the destructive impact of illegal drugs,鈥 he said.
Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6), in an earlier interview, said efforts have been intensified to reduce drug supply, like the creation of an interdiction task force in ports and airports, to prevent its entry.
鈥淲e cannot deny the fact that our shorelines are very porous. We have to focus on the demand-reduction program,鈥 he said, adding that the success of the anti-drug campaign is not gauged by the arrest and confiscation.
He said one measure to determine the success of the anti-drug campaign is the successful rehabilitation of drug users.
Wanky also emphasized the need to strengthen anti-drug abuse councils down to the barangay level.聽(PNA)