BCPO nets P42.2-M drugs in 2018

THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has seized an estimated total of P42,222,041.7 worth of illegal drugs from January 1 to December 31, 2018.

Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting director of BCPO, in a press conference yesterday, said a total of 2810.502 grams of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) worth P42,157,530 and 280.4857 grams of marijuana worth P64,511.711 were confiscated from 432 anti-illegal drug operations last year.

Ebreo said 656 persons were arrested.

Of the arrested persons, 55 were high-value targets, 60 were streetlevel targets, 16 were minors, and 525 were newly-identified drug personalities.

Dismissed Police Officer 3 Richard Dollosa, and Western Visayas drug lord Ramy Poja were among the three drug personalities killed in the police operations.

A total of 1,127 cases were filed.

Last year, one BCPO personnel was tested positive for illegal drugs and was relieved from the headquarters.

Ebreo said their internal cleansing continues in order to remove scalawags or erring policemen in the organization.

He also said the BCPO continue to monitor and validate some barangay officials who are allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has earlier said that 26 barangay officials in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are being validated after they were tagged in the alleged illegal drug trade.

Meanwhile, Magin Encarnacion was arrested in a buy-bust at Barangay Pahanocoy, this city on January 2, which resulted to the confiscation of four sachets of suspected shabu worth P25,000, the P500 marked money, and P400 in cash. The suspect is detained at Police Station 8.

For illegal gambling, BCPO has conducted 366 operations and arrested 1,049 persons. A total of 366 cases were filed.

Police were able to recover bet money amounting to P69,473.25.

On the campaign against illegal firearms, 64 operations were conducted which resulted in the apprehension of 66 persons.

BCPO confiscated 14 high-powered firearms, 12 low-powered firearms, and 44 homemade firearms.

They also recovered two low-powered firearms and three homemade firearms.

A total of 21 highpowered firearms, 30 low-powered firearms, seven homemade firearms, and four explosives were surrendered to the authorities.

For the anti-loitering campaign, 3,201 operations were conducted and 3,003 minors were rescued.

A total of 5,280 persons were arrested in Oplan Sita, wherein police conduct checkpoint in strategic areas and 1,732 persons were arrested in Oplan Bakal, an application of search warrant, and service of arrest warrant.*