BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The bulk of illegal drugs entering Negros Occidental come from the National Capital Region (NCR), according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The agency made the disclosure following two separate anti-drug operations on June 5 and 6 which resulted to the confiscation of shabu with a combined value of P7.5 million.
The illegal drugs from NCR entering the province via the BREDCO Port in Bacolod City and the Escalante City Port, according to PDEA-Negros Occidental agent “Jyxyvzcky” in a radio interview.
Those being coursed through the BREDCO post pass by Roxas City from the NCR while those being slipped through the Escalante City Port pass by the Tabuelan Port in Cebu from the NCR, the PDEA agent added.
In previous operations conducted not just by PDEA but also by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), it was discovered that traffickers also shipped illegal drugs from the NCR via the Batangas Port and into the Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan.
From Aklan, traffickers would then transport the illegal drugs by land to Dumangas Port in Iloilo province before finally landing in their final destination – Bacolod City.
Earlier in January, the PCG and PDEA intercepted a drug shipment worth P20.4 million from the NCR.
In March the PCG and PDEA again intercepted another shipment of shabu worth P34 million at the Escalante City port.
Both law enforcement agencies would again trace the shipment back to NCR.
The illegal drugs seized in March was by far the biggest seizure this year.
PDEA agent Jyxyvzcky said drug traffickers are currently looking for areas in Negros where to divert their illegal drugs./PN
