More Shabu Confiscated In 2020 Versus 2019 After ECQ Was Imposed
MORE SHABU CONFISCATED IN 2020 – Despite strict quarantine protocols and checkpoints, authorities have confiscated more contraband drugs this year compared to last.
According to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, authorities have seized more than 25.2 million kg of shabu. The street value of the drugs was estimated at around P171 million.
This was just from March 15, the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine till May 10, five days before the proposed end of the lockdown. During an interview with GMA, Sinas stated: “Mas marami pa kaming nahuhuling droga kaysa dati“.
He added that the amount of confiscated shabu last year during the same period was merely less than five kilograms. Furthermore, Sinas said that the stocks of drugs were held back following the implementation of the ECQ.
He added that the pushers have just recently released their stocks of shabu. In a previous report, we learned that some pushers pretend to be “food donors” in an attempt to enter checkpoints with the drugs.
Sinas also emphasized that some suspects used Lalamove as unsuspecting couriers. However, even before the quarantine, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were already looking ito couriers from delivery apps to transport illegal drugs.
Yet, Sinas sees the increase of confiscated drugs as a testament to the effectiveness of the checkpoints in nabbing drug peddlers. He emphasized that most of the arrests happened at the checkpoint themselves. During the interview with GMA, he said:
“Ang maganda sa ECQ na-empower ‘yung mga barangay officials at tanod. Alam na alam nila kung sino ang constituents nila. Kapag may bagong (tao) na papasok, sila ay nire-report,”
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