P1.5B total of illegal drugs seized in CAR in 2021

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Over a billion pesos worth of illegal drugs were confiscated and destroyed in various anti-illegal drug operations conducted in the Cordillera last year.

This is the result of 621 police operations conducted last year which include buy-bust operations, raids, marijuana eradication, checkpoint and interdiction, and the implementation of arrest and search warrants, states a report by the PNP Cordillera.

The total value of the contrabands seized by the police from January 1 to December 31, 2021, was pegged at ₱1,578,000,511.

Marijuana eradication

PNP Cordillera disclosed that last year, around 5,117,240 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants and 4,571,331.16 grams of dried marijuana plants were found and burned on-site.

Police Brigadier General Ronald Lee, Cordillera Police Regional Director, conveyed in a statement that he instructed the police to destroy marijuana plants, including the seedlings.

"Ang utos ko, maliliit pa lang ang mga marijuana eh sirain na para hindi na lalaki pa at mawala na rin ang pagkakataon na maibenta pa sa baba,” he said.

Moreover, Lee also ordered the random deployment of drug-sniffing dogs to stop the transport of illegal drugs in the Cordillera.

Drug personalities arrested

From the 621 police operations, a total of 541 drug personalities were also arrested by the authorities.

Of this number, 242 have been caught by the Baguio City Police Office; 126 for the Benguet Police Provincial Office (PPO); 85 for the Kalinga PPO; 42 for the Mountain Province PPO; 39 for Abra PPO; 5 for Ifugao PPO; and 2 drug personalities were apprehended by the Apayao PPO.

Meantime, with the continuous community engagements, 25 drug users have voluntarily surrendered while 277 users completed their Community-Based Recovery and Wellness Program in 2021.

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