Bulk of illegal drug shipment to province comes from NCR: PDEA

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Negros Occidental said bulk of illegal drugs entering the province originate from the National Capital Region (NCR).

PDEA made the statement following two separate drug stings on June 5 and 6 that resulted to the seizure of P7.5 million worth of shabu.

A PDEA-Negros Occidental agent said that based on their monitoring and history anti-drug operations they have conducted, the supply came from NCR via BREDCO Port in Bacolod City and at the ports in Escalante City Port in the northern part of the province.

The PDEA agent said drugs coming via Escalante are transported via Tabuelan Port in Cebu, while those via BREDCO are transported via Roxas.

In previous operations conducted also by Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), drug traffickers also shipped narcotics via Batangas Port and into Caticlan Port in Malay, Aklan.

The traffickers would then transport the illegal drugs by land to Dumangas Port in Iloilo before finally landing in their final destination in Bacolod.

Earlier in January, PCG and PDEA intercepted a drug shipment worth P20.4 million, which also originated from NCR.

This was followed in March when the PCG and PDEA again intercepted another shipment of shabu worth P34 million at the Escalante port.

Both law enforcement agencies would again trace the shipment back to NCR.

The illegal drugs seized in March was by far the biggest seizure this year.

Agent Jyxyvzcky said drug traffickers are currently looking for diversion where they can easily smuggle illegal drugs into the province. However, the PDEA agent said the agency and the Coast Guard remain on guard at the various seaports in the province, with the PCG.

The PCG and PDEA have also deployed narcotics detection dogs to block the entry of illegal drugs at the sea ports.* (DGB)