Police authorities have seized a total of Php7.1 million worth of illegal drugs for the first quarter of this year as a result of their intensified campaign, the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office reports.
Based on the data from the SCPPO, the seized drugs were part of the 435 illegal drug operations conducted from January to March. These include their 373 operations and 62 joint operations conducted together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
PLtCol Emerson D. Policarpio, chief of the Police Community Affairs and Development Group said these operations yielded the arrest of 449 individuals or suspects, 70 from the joint operations with PDEA, while 379 from PNP.
The data also reveals that for the Joint operations with PDEA, the amount of seized drugs totals Php5.12 million. These include Php3.6 million for Marijuana plants, Php1.01 million for shabu, and Php51,000 for Marijuana leaves.
For PNP alone, the amount seized has reached Php2.56 million. These include Php2.4 million for shabu and Php16,000 for marijuana leaves.
Aside from illegal drug operations as part of the supply reduction strategy of police authorities, the SCPPO also conducted advocacy campaigns, meetings, lectures to the communities as part of their demand reduction strategy.
Policarpio said, despite the pandemic, the PNP still managed to reach out to the grassroots level to minimize the effects of illegal drugs.
