By RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO — Four groups dominate the illegal drug industry in the 5th District, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director Paul Ledesma said.
Ledesma said they were monitoring the movements of these groups.
“We are conducting thorough monitoring and surveillance of their activities for their possible arrest,” he said. “If we could have enough evidence, we would get them.”
One of the groups, the Braga group, reportedly operates in the municipality of Sara.
Ledesma refused to mention the names of the other three groups.
But Ledesma said these drug groups are not high-value targets. “Their drug supply is only good for the municipal level,” he said.
Some of these groups get their supply from Iloilo City, while others source drugs from Manila and Mindanao and transport them via roll-on, roll-off vessels, he said.
Ledesma also said all towns in the 5th District are affected by illegal drugs.
The district is composed of the municipalities of Ajuy, Balasan, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, Lemery, San Dionisio, San Rafael and Sara.
Ledesma reiterated that barangays Desamparados (Jaro district) and Bakhaw (Mandurriao) in Iloilo City are still the main sources of shabu in Iloilo.
PDEA records showed that the total value of illegal drugs the agency seized from January to June amounted to P14 million.
The biggest seizure so far is the P7-million shabu confiscated in an operation in Bacolod City on June 9.
PDEA got them from Edgardo Justo, 36, during a sting operation at the parking lot of a mall.
Twenty-two sachets of shabu were found hidden in the soles of sandals and shoes contained in a package./PN
