SOME P48 million worth of illegal drugs were seized while 61 top targets were hauled to jail by agents of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group in a string of anti-narcotics operations in July.

According to PDEG director Brigadier General Eleazar P. Matta, they delivered a major setback to illegal drug syndicates in the country last month through operations launched by his men with the support of their allied law enforcement agencies.

In a report to PNP chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, the official said they conducted 52 anti-narcotics operations in July which resulted in the arrest of 61 ‘high-value individuals’ and the confiscation of P48,403,792.00 worth of illegal drugs.

The seizures were made as a result of 27 buy-bust operations, service of four search warrants for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and 19 warrants of arrest for violation of the anti-drug law.

PDEG operatives also conducted two major marijuana eradication drives in the countryside in July.

Those operations netted 5,389 grams of shabu, 232 pieces of ecstasy, 640 grams of ketamine, 813 grams of high-grade marijuana, 170 grams of liquid laughing gas ampules, 40 grams of marijuana oil, three pieces of marijuana cookies, five grams of Khalifa Karts, 33 pieces of e-cigars with liquid marijuana, 33,000 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants, 818.60 grams of dried marijuana leaves, and two grams of sativa hybrid.

Before the end of the month, the PDEG accounted for nearly P4 million worth of shabu and arrested 15 of their targets.

Brig. Gen. Matta said latest to be arrested in a buy-bust operation in Bacoor City in Cavite was a ‘high-value target’ who yielded 35 grams of the shabu worth P238,000.

The official said undercover officers from the PDEG Special Operations Unit 4-A, with the help of the Bacoor City Police Station and the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group arrested the suspect on Tirona Highway in Barangay Habay.

On the same day, another top drug target in Mindanao identified as alias ‘Urak’ was arrested after he sold 50 grams of shabu worth P340,000 to an undercover officer in Bgy. West Kilikili in Wao, Lanao del Sur.

Last week, over P3.3 million worth of prohibited substance were seized by PDEG agents in a string of anti-narcotics operations in the country which also led in the arrest of 13 suspects.

The official said one of the suspects was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tagpuro in Tacloban City, Leyte, and yielded 30 grams of shabu valued at P204,000.

A second dentified as Boots Malucay yielded nearly P90,000 worth of shabu and dried marijuana leaves and an unlicensed .22 gun with 39 bullets in an anti-narcotics raid at Sitio Cada in Barangay Balili, Mankayan, Benguet.

Another suspect named Sobaira Bula, 59, was arrested in a buy-bust operation Recto Avenue corner Matapang Street in Barangay 392, Quiapo, Manila.

Seized from the suspect were some 100 grams of shabu worth P680,000.

Another identified as 38-year-old Michael Gadon, a resident of Bgy. San Miguel in Taguig City yielded some 50 grams of shabu worth P340,000.

The fifth suspect identified as Alvin Bringas,36, was arrested in a buy-bust in Sitio Patakaran, Bgy. Ponong, Casiguran, Sorsogon, and seized fron him shabu worth P394,000.

All the arrested suspects are now facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under RA 9165.