Over P460-M worth of illegal drugs seized in January — PNP

The Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, June 15, 2021. (FILE PHOTO) Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – The anti-narcotics operations in January this year yielded more than P460-million worth of illegal drugs, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.

The PNP called this “significant progress” made from the 4,632 operations and 6,248 arrests conducted in the first month of 2023.

“The impressive achievements highlight the effectiveness of the intelligence-driven approach to reducing supply, which places a strong emphasis on nonviolent means of making arrests while ensuring the safety of teams involved in violent encounters with armed suspects through proper equipment and training. This is the new face of our anti-illegal drugs campaign,” PNP Chief General Azurin Jr. said in a statement.

“The centerpiece of this effort is the Recovery and Wellness Program, which is part of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations through Reinforcement and Education (ADORE), the final phase of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) endgame strategy against drug abuse,” the general added.

The operations last month, said Azurin, led to the confiscation of illegal drugs with a total street value of P460,106,164.49.

Meanwhile, the chief also made a statement regarding the isolated incidents of four drug suspects killed in January for violent resistance to lawful arrests.

“The PNP is committed to bringing justice to the Filipino people and ensuring their safety, but we also understand the importance of protecting the rights of all individuals involved in the operations. We are continuously working to balance these responsibilities,” Azurin said. — Niña Cuasay, INQUIRER.net trainee

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