The Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) seized kilos of shabu worth nearly P22 million during the first 10 months of the year, police said.
According Lt. Col. Norman Nuez, chief of the operations branch of the BPPO, some 3,231 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) were seized during anti-drug operations conducted from January 1 to October 25, 2022.
The packs of shabu were confiscated from 333 individuals arrested for drug charges.
Of the apprehended drug personalities, 47 were deemed to be high-value individuals while (HVI) the rest at 286 were street-level individuals.
Nuez added that the largest single-operation drug haul was seized by police last month from one Gemuba “Madame Gem” Alcala in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City.
Police confiscated during a buy-bust operation P1.7 million worth of shabu from Alcala, who is deemed an HVI.
Nuez attributed the seizure of the millions-worth of shabu to the growing demand for the illegal substance amid the lifting of movement restrictions.
“Wa na man gi bawal ang mga disco-disco ug inom-inom mao ang atong mga kabatan-unan ug mga drug addict maka laag-laag na, naa nay mga aktibidades so nay posibilidad na mo balik sila sa ilang bisyo,” said Nuez.
Nuez also cited some factors that drive demand for drugs that but are beyond the reach of the police such as family problems and influence from peers.
“Ang drugs social problem siya pero at the same time health and mental problem pud kay addiction man gud,” said Nuez.
“Naay level or parte sa drug abuse na dili ma control sa police pareha anang loss of family values, ang mga ginikanan walay nahibaw-an unya ma impuwensyahan sa barkada so naa gyuy demand. Unya kung naa mo gamit og drugs, naa puy mo sud na mo mamaligya tungod sa profitability, naa may kwarta,” he added.
According to Nuez, they have intensified their drive against illegal drugs in line with Governor Aris Aumentado’s mandate to the police which prioritizes the campaign against narcotics trade.
He said they launched a two-pronged approach to curb the use and sale of the illegal substance.
The police has strengthened its intelligence operations by keeping a tight watch on those included in their watch list and new players in the drug trade who have yet to be identified.
Authorities have also coordinated with Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils to urge them to re-launch their drug intervention programs which have been hampered by the pandemic which erupted early in 2020.
“Sa atong mga kabarangayan atong gipahiumduman ang atong mga anti-drug abuse council na hingusgan ang atong drug prevention program kay ang nahitabo man gud pag pandemic, na busy ang atong mga interventionist sa drug rehabilitation program so mao to naundang,” said Nuez. (R. Tutas)