The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Zamboanga Peninsula (PDEA-9) on Tuesday incinerated more than PHP34 million worth of illegal drugs in this southern port city.
The incineration was done through the use of a boiler machine at the Permex Producer and Exporter Corporation in Barangay Ayala here, a top PDEA official said.
PDEA Regional Director Emerson Margate said the illegal drugs consisted of 5.6 kilos of shabu worth PHP31,476,473, some 16,314 kilos of dried marijuana leaves valued at PHP3 million, 20 liters of liquid meth, and some expired medicines.
Margate said the destroyed drugs were collected from different courts in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu province from the cases filed based on the anti-drug operations conducted by the PDEA and police.
“These are evidence in cases filed and the destruction is covered [by] court order,” Margate said.
He said the destruction is also aimed “at inculcating in the minds of the people that seized pieces of evidence are indeed destroyed in accordance with the law, thereby eliminating the misconception that these evidence are used for other purposes.”
The destruction of the illegal drugs Tuesday was witnessed by officials and representatives of different government agencies, including civil society organizations.
The disposal by means of thermal destruction is prescribed under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Board Resolution No. 1, Series of 2002.
This method employs heat up to 800 degrees Celsius, which completely destroys the dangerous drugs.
The last destruction was in October 2020 wherein the PDEA-9 was able to destroy PHP19.9 million worth of illegal drugs.
Source: Philippines News Agency