6,413 high-value drug targets nabbed under Marcos admin

MANILA, Philippines —  Up to 6,413 high-value targets of the anti-illegal drug campaign have been arrested under the administration of President Marcos, according to latest data released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

The PDEA said the 6,413 were among 97,445 drug suspects arrested in 71,591 operations conducted across the country since July 2022.

Marcos has deviated from the violent crackdown on illegal drugs conducted by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, during his term.

Instead of continuing Duterte’s bloody drug war, Marcos decided to employ a holistic approach to eradicate drugs.

The number of barangays that remain drug-affected is at 6,691, while 22,825 have been declared cleared of illegal drugs. Up to 9,796 kilos of shabu, cocaine and marijuana as well as 96,550 pieces of party drug ecstasy with an estimated value of P44.69 billion have been seized in separate anti-drug operations.

Authorities dismantled 1,021 drug dens and a clandestine drug laboratory nationwide, the PDEA said.

Meanwhile, in Cavite, shabu with an estimated street value of P3.4 million was seized in Bacoor on Tuesday.

The sting in Barangay Habay II resulted in the arrest of Jamil Cando and Badron Busran, police said.