Taguig Police intensifies drive against illegal drugs

MANILA, Philippines - The Taguig City Police intensified its drive against illegal drugs in the city with the arrest of 114 alleged drug traffickers in the first half of this year.

According to the Taguig City Police, among those arrested were the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th “most wanted drug target personalities.”

Over the weekend, Taguig Police nabbed Richard Silvestre, along with six others, during a police operation that yielded 40 grams of shabu worth P200,000. Silvestre, police said, ranked 4th in the list of “drug target personalities.”

The Taguig Police also reported that for the first six months of this year, the number of apprehensions for illegal drugs has increased by almost 70 percent as compared to the same period last year.

Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano lauded the efforts of the city police in going after suspected drug traffickers.

"This is a victory worth mentioning because as we put more pushers behind bars, we take off more illegal drugs in our streets and consequently out of the reach of our citizens, especially our children," she said.

"This is also to strongly reiterate what has been our stand in the local government: that illegal drugs have no place in our community. I commend the Taguig police for such exemplary work," she added.

Meanwhile, Taguig City Police chief, Senior Superintendent Arthur Felix Asis said a total of 213 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and 38 grams of marijuana have been confiscated during various arrests and drug busts for the first half of this year.

Since 2010, the Taguig City government has put into motion an intensified war against illegal drugs in the city. Cayetano said that prior to her administration, Taguig City was known as a “hotspot” for illegal drugs.