P430 million drugs seized by NCRPO in March

MANILA, Philippines — Over P430 million worth of illegal drugs were seized and at least 2,000 suspects were arrested during 1,077 anti-narcotics operations in Metro Manila in March alone, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported yesterday.

NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad said 719 of 1,709 barangays in Metro Manila have been cleared of drugs as police intensified the barangay drug clearing program.

“We have been in the headway of our campaign. We are getting closer to helping the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in clearing barangays of drugs. The use of drugs contributes to other crimes perpetrated in the metropolis,” Natividad said.

Five drug suspects were nabbed in separate stings in Caloocan and Navotas since Wednesday.

Police said at least P1 million worth of shabu was seized during the operations.

Jamen Macarampat, 29; Mario Fariña, 41; Orlando Gacayan, 52; Benita Belluco, 53, and Ruben Asuncion, 58, are being held on charges of drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, the NCRPO said at least P297,000 in bets were confiscated from 1,721 people arrested for illegal gambling last month.