PDEA destroys over P9 billion worth of ‘shabu’, marijuana in Cavite

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) says more than P9 billion worth of narcotics confiscated in various operations were destroyed in Cavite on Thursday, June 6, 2024.   INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Over P9 billion worth of narcotics confiscated in various operations, including those from the multi-billion peso drug haul in Alitagtag town, Batangas, were destroyed in Cavite on Thursday, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

In a statement, PDEA said it destroyed the illegal drugs through thermal decomposition or thermolysis at Integrated Waste Management, Inc. in Barangay Aguado, Trece Martires City.

READ: Explainer: How the P9.68 billion ‘shabu’ haul in Batangas was counted

The agency explained that thermal decomposition, or thermolysis, involves breaking down chemical compounds with tremendous heat.

Among the narcotics destroyed were 1.2 tons of crystal meth (shabu) seized in Batangas and others from various operations – 1.29 million grams of shabu, 720,898.65 grams of marijuana, and 359,752 grams of ephedrine tablets.

Earlier reports said that 1.4 tons, or around P9.68 billion worth of shabu, were confiscated from the van driver flagged down in Barangay Pinagkurusan, Alitagtag town, last April 15.

When asked why only 1.2 tons of shabu were destroyed, PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon said the figure 1.4 tons includes the weight of the packaging.

“This figure (1.4 tons) is the net of the packaging. Upon turn-over to the PDEA Laboratory Service the items were re-weighed without packaging, using analytical balance which is accurate up to the 5th decimal place,” Carreon told INQUIRER.net in a Viber message.

READ: PDEA intercepts shabu worth P3.4M in Batangas City port

PDEA said, “The burnt dangerous drugs comprised the evidence seized from various anti-drug operations it conducted together with the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and other counterpart law enforcement and military units, but were no longer needed as evidence in court.”

Representatives from various agencies, such as the Department of Justice, Department of the Interior and Local Government, PNP, and local officials of Barangay Aguado, were present during the destruction of the narcotics.