DDB chair: Seized P2.5-B shabu in Makati City to upset illegal drugs supply

MANILA, Philippines — The chief of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) believes that the nearly 400 kilograms of shabu confiscated recently in Makati City will affect the supply of illegal drugs in the country.

“Well, definitely ‘yung 400 kilos na ito mawalan sa market. Magkakaroon ng vacuum somewhere on the supply side. But, hopefully, mabawasan ‘yung demand [ng shabu] with the effort of other agencies,” DDB chairman Catalino Cuy said in a press conference in Camp Crame.

(Well, definitely the 400 kilos will be off the market. There will be vacuum somewhere on the supply side. But, hopefully, the demand [for shabu] will decrease with the effort of other agencies.)

On Tuesday night, law enforcers confiscated P2.5 billion worth of shabu from a Chinese national identified as Liu Chao at a rented apartment in Makati City. Liu was likewise arrested during the buy-bust operation.

READ: P2.5 B shabu seized in Makati sting, Chinese national nabbed

In a follow-up operation, police seized P115.6 million worth of shabu from Liu’s alleged couriers in Las Piñas City.

Cuy said the successful anti-drug operations only show the efficiency of law enforcement.

“Ito ‘yung nahuhuli natin… [This is what we apprehend] It just shows ‘yung [the] increase of efficiency sa [in] law enforcement cooperation. So for us,  for DDB, we believe we are winning the [anti-drug] campaign,” he said.

Aim for high-value targets

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa said the police force will target bigger fish in the illegal drug trade, noting that police officers are confiscating more than 50 grams of shabu.

“Let’s go for high-value targets let’s go for bigger catches. If you study the news wala silang [police don’t have] confiscation na [that are] less than 50 grams kasi [because] we go for high-value targets,” Gamboa said during the press conference.

Edited by KGA