28,330 barangays drug-free – PDEA

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 28,330 barangays nationwide have been declared drug-free under the administration of President Marcos.

Data released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday showed that 84,291 suspects were arrested and illegal drugs worth P32.44 billion were confiscated by law enforcers.

At least 7,181 barangays remain drug-affected, according to PDEA.

The suspects were apprehended in 61,800 anti-narcotics operations from July 1, 2022 to Feb. 29, 2024.

The PDEA said 5,691 of the arrested suspects were high-value targets in the illegal drug trade.

Up to 7,993.7 kilos of shabu, cocaine and marijuana were confiscated. Also seized were 54,016 pieces of the party drug Ecstasy.

Anti-narcotics officers shut down 726 drug dens and a clandestine laboratory.

Meanwhile, shabu weighing 30 grams were seized from three drug suspects in Pasig on Monday night.

Pasig police chief Col. Celerino Sacro said the drugs, with an estimated street value of P204,000, were recovered during a sting in Barangay Pinagbuhatan at around 10:40 p.m.

Police identified the suspects through their aliases as Jun, Jer and Jan.

The trio allegedly negotiated a deal with a police officer who posed as a buyer of P12,000 worth of shabu.

The suspects are being held on charges of drug trafficking.