PDEA destroys over P600M worth of illegal drugs

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday destroyed P612 million worth of dangerous drugs at the Integrated Waste Management, Inc., Barangay Aguado, Trece Martirez City, Cavite.

Destroyed were a total of 235,419.91 grams of assorted pieces of drug evidence composed of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, marijuana, ephedrine, ecstasy, cocaine, valium, phentermine, pseudoephedrine, opium poppy seeds, expired medicines; 16,618 milliliters of liquid shabu and 315 milliliters of amphetamine.

"Based on the consolidated report of the PDEA Laboratory Service, shabu represents 78.74 percent, or P481.89 million, of the total amount of illegal drugs destroyed through thermal decomposition,"PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac, Jr. said. 

PDEA officials and other law enforcement agencies, representatives from the Department of Justice, the Dangerous Drugs Board, the Pubic Attorney’s Office, representatives of non-government organizations and barangay officials of Trece Martirez City witnessed the event.

"We want the public to witness the destruction of illegal drugs before they reach the hands of intended consumers. In addition, this is one way of allaying public apprehensions that dangerous drugs seized by authorities are being reused, recycled or sold back in the streets," Cacdac said.

He also lauded the efforts of the different branches of Regional Trial Courts for the expeditious prosecution and disposition of drug cases that led to the prompt destruction of these illegal drugs and substances no longer needed as evidence in court.