THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) headed by Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva has released a list of the Top 10 anti-illegal drug operations it conducted together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2021 leading to the arrest of dozens of ‘high-value targets’ and the seizure of billions of pesos worth of shabu and other illegal substances.

“These operations involved the participation of law enforcement, intelligence, and military counterparts in line with PDEA’s strategy of adopting an inter-agency approach to anti-drug operations,” said Villanueva in noting the huge assistance and cooperation they are getting from their partner-law enforcement agencies specifically the PNP headed by his classmate from Philippine Military Academy ‘Maringal’ Class of 1988, General Dionardo B. Carlos.

The top 10 anti-drug operations successfully conducted by the PDEA, with the help of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency in 2021 are:

1. The PDEA-PNP anti-narcotics raid in Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales on January 15, 2021 which led to the arrest of four PNP personnel and their civilian cohort and the dismantling of a kitchen-type drug laboratory where 388.85 grams of shabu worth P2.64 million, controlled precursors and essential chemicals or CPECs and various laboratory equipment were seized;

2. The PDEA, PNP,AFP and NICA operation in Imus City in Cavite on June 13, which resulted in the arrest of a Chinese national and the confiscation of 116.85 kilograms of shabu worth P794.59 million concealed in packaging labeled as ‘Chinese Tea.’

3. The PDEA, PNP, AFP and NICA anti-narcotics raids in Malate, Manila last June 21 which led to the recovery of 37.53 kilos of shabu worth P255.21 million, the drugs also concealed in ‘Chinese Tea’ packaging.

4. The PDEA, PNP, AFP and NICA buy-bust operation on August 1 in Novaliches, Quezon City where three Chinese nationals were arrested and 127 kilograms of shabu worth P863.60 million concealed in ‘Chinese Tea’ packaging were recovered.

5. The PDEA, PNP, AFP and NICA sting in Balagtas, Bulacan on August 1 which led to the neutralization of an armed Chinese national and the seizure of 74.8 kilograms of shabu worth P509.23 million, all also concealed in ‘Chinese Tea’ packaging.

6. The PDEA, PNP, AFP, NICA and Bureau of Customs anti-narcotics operation in Candelaria, Zambales last September 7 which resulted in the killing of four armed Chinese drug traffickers and the confiscation of 502.16 kilograms of shabu worth P3.41 billion. The drugs were also concealed in ‘Chinese Tea’ packaging.

7. The PDEA, PNP, AFP, NICA and BOC operation in Bacoor City in Cavite last September 9 which led to the death of two armed drug dealers following a shootout and the recovery of 181 kilograms of shabu worth P1.23 billion, the drugs also concealed in ‘Chinese Tea’ packaging.

8. The PDEA, PNP, AFP and NICA anti-narcotics operation last October 16 in Dasmariñas City, Cavite which resulted in the arrest of two ‘high-value targets’ and the 239.55 kilograms of shabu worth P1.62 billion, the stuff also concealed in ‘Chinese Tea’ packaging.

9. The PDEA, PNP, AFP, NICA and BOC sting in Angeles City, Pampanga last October 18 which led to the killing of four armed Chinese drug smugglers and the recovery of 37.9 kilograms of shabu worth P258.14 million, all concealed in packaging labeled as ‘Chinese Tea’.

10. The PDEA, PNP and BOC anti-narcotics operation in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City last November 5 which resulted in the arrest of s woman and the confiscation of 9,936 pieces of MDMA or ‘Ecstasy’ tablets worth P16.8 million.

Carlos earlier said that crime volume in the country has been greatly reduced over the past five years-and-a-half as a result of the successful illegal drug operations by the Duterte administration.

According to the top cop, the total crime incidents in the Philippines over the past 63 months or from 2016 to October 2021 dropped 49.6 percent compared to the recorded crime incidents in 2010-2015.

The PNP chief also said the effects of the successful illegal drugs operations by the Duterte government are already being felt by ordinary Filipinos.

According to him, the successful anti-illegal drugs operations in the past five years already resulted in the unprecedented reduction in crimes in the country.

The PNP has always maintained that most of the crime incidents in the country are related to illegal drugs abuse, a position that was vindicated by the continuous and significant reduction of crime in the country in the last five years.

Gen. Carlos explained that the huge 67.76 percent drop in Index crime represents 784,641 fewer crime cases from 1.15-million index crime incidents in 2010-2015 or during the previous Benigno Aquino administration down to only 373,378 cases in 2016-2021.

The same National Crime Environment Report showed that crime against persons dipped 64.68 percent while crime against property fell 69.91 percent in 2016-2021, he added.

Theft, Physical Injury and Robbery are the three most prevalent crime types common in 2010-2015 and 2016-2021.

Incidents of physical injury showed an 80.13 percent slump while homicide cases decreased 55.31 percent. Moreover, incidents of robbery, theft and carnapping fell by 71.72 percent, 70.85 percent and 55.46 percent respectively.

“All these marked improvement in the overall crime picture translate to better security outlook among our people and further adds to upbeat investor confidence that spur economic growth despite the ongoing health crisis,” he said.

Citing statistics from the PNP Directorate for Operations, Carlos said that from January to November 2021, police arrested 66,278 illegal drug personalities and seized an estimated P4.653 billion worth of shabu and other prohibited drugs.

He added that overall, they also partnered with the PDEA in accounting for more than P8.5 billion worth of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine.’ The PNP Drug Enforcement Group headed by Brigadier Gen. Remus B. Medina was behind the biggest drug haul of the PNP last year.

Carlos said they are banking on more ‘intelligence-driven operations’ to account for more ‘high-value targets’ in the country and seize more drugs even as he maintained that the PDEA-PNP operations against illegal drugs has been a major factor in reducing to at least 64 percent the crime volume in the country, thus making the streets much safer for peace-loving citizens.

The PNP has always maintained that most of the crime incidents in the country are related to illegal drugs abuse, a position that was vindicated by the continuous and significant reduction of crime in the country in the last five years.