Police War on Illegal Drugs Ups Shabu Prices

Prices of shabu in Central Visayas soared due to its dwindling supply as police continues its war against illegal drugs.

The deputy chief of the Regional Operations and Plans Division of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) P/Supt Arnel Banzon reported recently during the forum of the Association of Government Information Officers – Philippine Information Agency (AGIO-PIA7) that tackled the topic on the ‘War Against Illegal Drugs.”

Banzon  in his presentation of the Project Double Barrel said shabu is now priced at P300/deck or sachet and P16,000 to P18,000 per bulk or about five grams.

In Bohol and Siquijor, the prices are even more expensive at P500/deck and P20,000 per bulk, said Banzon.

“The street value is based on the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) report as of September 26,” bared Banzon.

In the latest Tokhang Report of the PRO-7, Banzon said that from July 1 to September 30, there are now 75,454 surrenderees in Central Visayas; 69,816 of which are drug users and 5,368 drug pushers.

The continuing police operations against high-value drug targets netted 2,331 people broken down into 1,184 drug users and 1,147 drug pushers.

As of October 11, 116 drug suspects were killed in legitimate police operations while 138 people were killed by unknown assailants, the report stated.

Banzon earlier said there are three big drug syndicates operating in the country and these are the Filipino-Chinese, African ring and the Mexican cartel associated with a Chinese group to penetrate the Philippine market.

Our mission in PRO-7 is to clear all drug affected barangays in the region and to conduct no let-up operations against drug syndicates and dismantle them, said Banzon. (mbcn/fcr/PIA7)