FOLLOWING his vow to further intensify their war on drugs, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has ordered an all-out effort to go after ships and other vessels, both foreign and domestic-owned which are believed being used to smuggle shabu and other illegal drugs into the country.

Emphasizing the need for the police force to conduct more sustainable operations, the 28thPNP chief vowed that the ‘war on drugs shall be relentlessly continued.’ To begin with, he said there is a need to sanction vessels transporting illegal drugs and its precursors in our country which is actually home to more than 1,200 private ports.

The top cop has ordered the PNP Drug Enforcement Group now headed by Brigadier Gen. Narciso D. Domingo to fully partner with the PNP Directorate for Intelligence headed by incoming Major Gen. Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. and the 17 Police Regional Offices in dealing with the problem on drug smuggling specifically in identifying all possible trafficking routes and patterns by land, air and sea.

The PNP is also fully partnering with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency headed by Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva in the Marcos administration’s continuing campaign against illegal drug trafficking and abuse in the country.

Both agencies have actually taken proactive measures to prevent the use of private airstrips and ports as ‘entry and exit points’ of illicit drugs specifically shabu, cocaine and Ecstasy.

In 2019, the then PDEA leadership said that unmanned runways and private ports have become favorite landing spots for private airplanes, seaplanes and even yachts carrying illegal drugs.

“International drug syndicates are capable of using private aircraft, including helicopters and seaplanes, and boats and yachts as modes of transportation to fly and land drug contraband using these privately-owned facilities,” the PDEA said.

The Agency pushed for the establishment of an inter-agency drug interdiction task group to synchronize efforts in sealing off possible smuggling points in the country, particularly the privately-run airstrips, heliports, and seaports.

To address the interdiction challenges and strict monitoring and inspection of said facilities, the PDEA said there is a need for officers from the Agency, the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Customs , Bureau of Immigration, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Ports Authority, Maritime Industry Authority, Office for Transportation Security and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to work closely to address the threats posed by international drug smugglers.

“Before, drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) are shipping tons of illegal drugs, either finished products or raw materials, through shipside smuggling in the high seas, airports and seaports. But now, they have included in their itineraries unmanned landing strips and private ports as drug transit routes,” the PDEA said then.

It disclosed that small airstrips have no airport facilities triggering real problems on proper documentation of the arriving passenger/s and cargo details among others.

Authorities also have brought out the b ig possibility that foreign chemists or ‘shabu cooks’ fly in and out of the country via the backdoor using the runways and open seas.

Gen. Azurin wants a ‘whole-of-nation approach’ in the unrelenting war on drugs knowing for a fact that illegal drugs can really reach the country’s shorelines thru seaplanes and small sea vessels including boats and yachts.

There have been previous monitored reports of drug smuggling activities involving mother ships dropping tons of shabu or cocaine in the high seas, their ‘floating cargo’ later being retrieved by much smaller boats manned by members of the syndicate who later deliver them in nearby coastal areas for actual land transport.

The PDEA has established seaport interdiction units in 13 key seaports across the country in order to curb drug smuggling thru the ports and high seas.

The drug problem is actually seen as major obstacles to the progress of the country, thus the need for a sustained campaign against drug trafficking and abuse as the Philippines has been known as a major transshipment point and destination for large shipment of illegal drugs specifically shabu.

Foreign drug syndicates are known for taking advantage of the country’s geostrategic locations with its enormous coastlines and porous borders, making it an ideal place for rest and recreation and money-laundering activities by international drug rings.

Thus, the need to really establish concrete action to address the major problem thru close partnership and cooperation by Philippine law enforcement authorities with their foreign counterparts including those from Mainland China since tackling the international drug problem is a shared responsibility of all governments in the world.