TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - The imposed travel restrictions in the COVID-19 high-risk areas have contributed significantly to the elimination of entries of illegal drug supplies in the Cagayan Valley Region, This is according to the Philippine Drug and Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 2.
Regional Director of the PDEA, Joel B. Plaza, said that with the establishment of checkpoints in almost all entry and exit points of every municipality, drug trading has slowed down since the pandemic started.
However, the PDEA, in collaboration with the Philippine National Police and other partner agencies and sectors, is continuously leading its campaign against illegal drugs in the attempt to totally eradicate them in the communities.
He said that in the first semester of this year, there were 12 high-impact operations conducted resulting to the apprehension of 112 high-value targets.
"In totality, we have 603 operations conducted that resulted to the arrest of 691 personalities," Plaza said.
He also reported that there were 266 grams of shabu (methamphetamine) seized during the operations, 259,769 grams of marijuana, and 1,423 grams of hashish, or the cocentrated byproduct of marijuana resin.
Plaza said that there are drug manufacturing laboratories in the region, but they identified transshipment points of illegal drugs in the valley.
"Shabu are delivered from the National Capital Region and Region 3 through the national highways, while marijuana supplies come from Ifugao and Kalinga provinces. There are also smugglings sites via our seaports in our coastal zones," the director said.
As to the modus operandi of drug traders, deliveries are done in parcels or through courier packages. They also use social media applications in transactions, and payments are done through wireless money transfers.
He also said that while the majority are still using private and public utility vehicles as well as motorcycles in the delivery of illegal drug items, some are still practicing the "kaliwaan" system. (JKC/OTB/PIA Cagayan)
