Iloilo City: In a significant crackdown on illegal drugs, the Iloilo City Police Office has confiscated over 23 kilos of shabu and 123.63 grams of marijuana, with a combined estimated street value of more than PHP157 million over the past ten months.

According to Philippines News Agency, from July 2023 to May 2024, the police conducted 529 anti-drug operations that culminated in the arrest of 735 suspects. Among these, 189 were identified as high-value individuals, while the remainder were street-level dealers. The operations also led to the arrest of two minors.

Col. Kim Legada, in an interview on Monday, emphasized the unified effort of all police units in the campaign against illegal drugs. "This is a strong, unified effort of all our units. We want to send a clear message: illegal drugs have no place in Iloilo City," he stated, highlighting that the campaign is driven by timely intelligence and consistent monitoring of drug activity.

Col. Legada further asserted the commitment to intensifying efforts against illegal drugs, expressing that the focus is not just on immediate arrests but on long-term deterrence. "We will exert more efforts until the time they realize that illegal drug will destroy not only our people but also their future," he affirmed.

Despite the high number of arrests and the prevalence of plea bargaining or served jail terms among the suspects, Col. Legada does not view the situation as alarming. "We don't consider it alarming. If they won't stop, we will still pursue them," he remarked.

Col. Legada took over the city police directorship on July 23 last year, succeeding Col. Joeresty Coronica, who now leads the Bacolod City Police Office.