Steps up the conduct of high-impact operations
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has vowed to step up its campaign to pursue high-value targets (HVTs) through high-impact operations (HIOs) nationwide.
“These targeted drug personalities had already been identified, and their arrests would only be a matter of time,” said PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr.
In response to the marching orders of President Benigno Aquino III to focus on suppressing the supply and source of dangerous drugs, PDEA has shifted its operational thrusts towards the neutralization of high-value targets involved in illegal drug
activities. The PDEA also targets specific street level pushers classified as HVTs, which include foreigners, government officials and employees, priority drug personalities and celebrities.
“PDEA, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, has launched anti-drug operations of greater degree to dismantle clandestine shabu laboratories, chemical warehouses, drug dens and shabu tiangges, eradicate marijuana plantation sites, prevent drug trafficking in
airports and seaports, and confiscate high-volume of dangerous drugs and eventually arrest the HVTs under our radar,” Cacdac said.
For the year 2014, out of the total 2,034 anti-drug operations conducted by PDEA, 189 or 9.29% were high-impact operations, and 1,845 or 90.71% were operations addressing
street-level concerns. Further, out of 2,161 total drug personalities arrested, 1,050 or 48.59% were high-value targets, and 1,111 or 51.41% were street-level drug personalities.
Conversely, the same accomplishments would also show that the conduct of HIOs and arrest of HVTs resulted in the seizure of the far larger chunk of shabu seized for the year. Out of the total 551.85 kilos of shabu seized by PDEA nationwide, 549.70 kilos or 99.61%
resulted from the conduct of HIOs and arrest of HVTs which denotes that for the year 2014 alone, PDEA was able to prevent 549.70 kilos of shabu from being proliferated to communities.
“These achievements further signify that the government is on strategic track in prioritizing the conduct of HIOs leading to the eventual arrests of HVTs and barangay and street-level pushers,” Cacdac said. (Mr. Glenn J. Malapad, OIC, Public Information Office, PDEA)
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
