PHILIPPINE National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) elements arrested 20 drug targets and recovered over P17.5 million worth of illegal drugs, PDEG director Brigadier General Dionisio B. Bartolome Jr. announced Saturday.

The official said two of the suspects were child in conflict with the.

One of the accused, alias Edson, 29, yielded 60 grams of shabu worth P408,000 in Brgy. Funda Dalipe, San Jose, Antique last Monday.

Erwin Santos, 40, was arrested by PDEG Special Operations Unit 1 operatives in his residence in Dagupan City on Tuesday.

Another anti-drug raid in Brgy. Pussian Alcala, Cagayan shortly before midnight Tuesday yielded an estimated 16 grams of shabu worth P102,000 and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Bartolome said that PDEG agents arrested the suspected drug den maintainer Mark Valentine Leonillo, 23, and his visitors Feliz Timple, 38; Raymund Ruiz, 29; and two minors who were both turned over to the local social welfare department.

The 7th suspect, Ace Panaligan, 48, was arrested by PDEG 4-B officers in Brgy. Sta. Rita, Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro on Tuesday.

The suspect yielded an estimated P12,000 worth of shabu and the marked money paid to him by a poseur.

Last week, PDEG officers also confiscated over P16 million worth of cocaine, shabu and marijuana and arrested 15 suspects.

In a report to PNP chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., Bartolome said they joined the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group in confiscating more than P14 million worth of smuggled cocaine and Kush at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City last Friday.

Another anti-narcotics operation in Albuera, Leyte on Sunday morning led in the arrest of Noli Rom, 43, after he sold drugs to an undercover officer of the PDEG Special Operations Unit 8.

Ronel Ragodos, 31, was arrested in Cagayan de Oro City. His arrest resulted in the seizure of 70 grams of shabu worth P476,000 on Sunday.

Nelson Lacsama, 42; Francis Haboc, 39; and Agusto Lasala, 36, were arrested last Monday in a buy-bust in Purok 6, Brgy. Benigno S. Aquino in Bulan, Sorsogon. The three yielded over P102,000 worth of shabu.

The 6th suspect, Gerald dela Peña, 46, yielded 51 grams of shabu worth P346,800 during his arrest in District 6, Puntod, Cagayan de Oro City on the same day.

Two other suspects, Christian Lachica, 22; and Jemmuel Lucanilao, 23, were arrested in a buy-bust in Bacolod City last Friday.

The two yielded 23 plastic packets containing more than 100 grams of shabu valued at P728,000.

All eight arrested suspects are now facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.