Alagar nabs 968 Individuals, seizes millions worth of drugs in anti-illegal drug ops

IN an intensive crackdown spanning four months and thirteen days, police authorities in Region 10 of the Philippines have arrested a total of 968 individuals and confiscated significant amounts of illegal drugs.

The operations, carried out across 816 separate instances, yielded 3,430.43 grams of shabu and 79.25 grams of marijuana, valued at approximately P23,336,447.60 according to Standard Drug Price estimates.

Police Major Joann Navarro, Regional Spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP 10), confirmed the achievements during a press briefing on Sunday afternoon, February 25, where she presented the comprehensive report detailing the anti-illegal drug efforts conducted in each province and city within the region.

These accomplishments occurred under the leadership of Brigadier General Ricardo G. Layug, Jr., who assumed command of PNP 10 on October 10, 2023. Noteworthy among the arrests was the apprehension of a 26-year-old unemployed suspect in Kalilangan, Bukidnon, on February 23, with shabu valued at P974,304.00 seized.

Additionally, a 29-year-old suspect was arrested in Iligan City on February 22, with the authorities confiscating an M16 A1 assault rifle, various types of ammunition, and shabu worth P102,000.

Highlighting a particularly active period, records indicate that over P5,667,340 worth of illegal drugs were seized, with 76 individuals apprehended in just nine days across 71 operations from February 15 to 23.

Brigadier General Layug Jr. commended the efforts of the law enforcement personnel, attributing the significant increase in arrests and drug seizures to their dedication and efficiency in implementing “Serbisyong Cardo, Serbisyong may puso” (Service with a heart), a core component of their service ethos.

During the specified period, the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office stood out, conducting 321 operations resulting in 415 arrests and the seizure of shabu valued at P12,387,532.40.

Tragically, a civilian lost his life in an unrelated shooting incident last November 13 in Cagayan de Oro. However, investigations revealed that the incident was not related to anti-illegal drug operations.

“Shooting incident kana nga na report, pag responde sa Soco nakuhaan ang biktima ug shabu sa iya possession,” said Maj. Navarro.

Following closely behind in terms of performance, Bukidnon recorded 184 operations, 215 arrests, and illegal drugs worth P7,404,940.40 seized.

Meanwhile, Misamis Oriental achieved the third-highest number of operations, with 103 conducted, resulting in the arrest of 113 suspects and the seizure of shabu valued at P1,507,952.00.

All arrested individuals will face charges under Republic Act 10591 and Sections 11 and 12 of RA 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. As of the press briefing, 650 cases have already been filed in court, Major Navarro confirmed.