OVER P1 billion worth of shabu have been seized by agents of the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) headed by Brigadier General Anthony A. Aberin from January 1, 2023 to date, the Journal Group learned Sunday.

In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., the PRO7 conducted a total of 6,991 anti-narcotics operations which led to the arrest of 8,352 targets.

Aberin said they are following-up information provided by the arrested suspects regarding the main source of the huge volume of drugs seized from them.

Aberin has ordered his men to strengthen their intelligence monitoring, increase their visibility in the streets and enhance their partnership with the community to curtail the drug proliferation in Central Visayas.

Of the 8,352 drug suspects hauled to jail by the regional police force during the period, 913 were ‘watch-listed targets’ while 2,765 were ‘newly-identified drug personalities.

During the same period, the PRO7 seized 150.4 kilograms of shabu valued at nearly P1.023 billion and around 6.7 kilos of dried marijuana leaves worth at least P798,000.

“We have made huge accomplishments in our war on drugs in Central Visayas as a result of our intelligence-driven operations and full support from Cebuanos in different parts of the region,” said Aberin.

He said that the PRO7 anti-drug operations during the period were launched by operatives of the Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City Police Offices, the Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Provincial Police Offices and the PRO7 Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit.

Aberin said the Cebu PPO under Colonel Percival R. Zorilla made the biggest number of drug arrests with 2,460 followed by the Cebu City Police Office with 2.,052.

The Cebu City Police Office headed by Colonel Ireneo B. Dalogdog made the biggest drug haul during the period with nearly 39.4 kilograms of shabu worth at least P267.8 million followed by the Cebu PPO with 23.2 kilos of shabu valued at around P158.3 million.

Next came the Lapu-Lapu CPO under Col. Elmer S. Lim with nearly 22 kilograms of shabu worth P149.4 million while the Bohol PPO headed by Col. Lorenzo A. Batuan seized over 15 kilos of shabu valued at P102.2 million.

The Mandaue City Police Office headed by Col. Maribel B. Getigan also seized over 17 kilos of shabu worth at least P115.8 million during the period.

On the other hand, the PRO7 accounted for nearly 28.7 kilograms of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine’ with a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P194.6 million.

The period also saw the PRO7 confiscating at least seven grams of cocaine worth P37,100 and 231 pieces of Nubain worth at least P57,750.

On Monday last week, Brig. Gen. Aberin also announced the arrest of a top drug suspect in Central Visayas after he sold a kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million to an undercover officer in Cebu City.

The suspect is now facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under RA 9165, said the official.