810 drug personalities nabbed in Zamboanga peninsula under ECQ

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — At least 810 suspected drug personalities have been arrested in the relentless anti-drug operations since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Zamboanga peninsula amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, according to police official Saturday.

Brig. Gen. Froilan Quidilla, Police Regional Office 9 (PRO) director, said his police units in Western Mindanao have also recovered at least 18 assorted firearms in the 722 anti-illegal drugs operations that were conducted since the start of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on March 16. 

The police units under PRO-9 have a standing order not to let its guards down in the campaign against illegal drugs after assessment that drugs personalities were taking advantage of the situation to continue its illegal drug trade.

The police official said their units were accounting the total volume of the shabu recovered and its estimated street value.

Quidilla said formal charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were filed against the 810 arrested suspects detained in different police stations around Zamboanga peninsula.

“The success of the drug war in the region is due to the relentless efforts exerted by the different police units despite the strict implementation of ECQ,” Quidilla said.

Quidilla thanked the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, their counterpart in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, local anti-drug abuse council and the community for its cooperation in addressing the proliferation and illegal drug trade in this part of Mindanao.