P235 million shabu seized in 6 months in Western Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — At least P235 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated during the first half of the year in Western Visayas, the Police Regional Office 6 reported yesterday.

The drugs – including 34.2 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and 20.2 kilos of dried marijuana from 1,600 arrested suspects – were confiscated in 1,208 operations regionwide, according to Lt. Col. Arnel Solis, PRO-6 spokesman.

The Negros Occidental police arrested the largest number of suspects at 593, followed by Iloilo City, 300; Iloilo province, 270; Bacolod City, 205; Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6), 72; Capiz province, 67; Aklan province, 39, and Antique and Guimaras provinces, 27 each.

The RPDEU-6 has the highest volume of illegal drugs seized at P71 million, followed by Iloilo City and Iloilo province with P68 million and P53 million, respectively.

In Maguindanao del Norte, police confiscated P6.8 million worth of shabu from alleged dealer Morsalon Bual Tantong, 30, in a sting in Datu Odin Sinsuat on Tuesday.

Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region director Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawohn told reporters that Tantong is from Barangay Dalapang in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.

Tantong was arrested after allegedly selling a kilo of shabu for P6.8 million to undercover police led by Lt. Col. Esmael Madin, chief of the Sultan Kudarat municipal police station, in Barangay Awang in Datu Odin Sinsuat.