(Photo courtesy of Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region)
Police operations across the Negros Island Region yielded more than P228 million worth of illegal drugs and smuggled cigarettes over a four-month period, regional police data showed Monday.
From May 8 to Sept. 6, authorities conducted 792 anti-drug operations that led to the arrest of 1,039 individuals allegedly involved in illegal drug activities.
Police seized 21,552 grams of suspected shabu and 1,442.5 grams of marijuana during the operations. The confiscated drugs carried an estimated standard value of Php 146.73 million.
Separate enforcement efforts targeted the illegal cigarette trade, with authorities conducting 590 operations during the same period.
Those operations resulted in 33 arrests and the confiscation of cigarettes valued at approximately Php 81.485 million, according to the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region.
Combined, the drug and cigarette seizures were valued at Php 228.216 million.
The figures covered the tenure of Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, who completed his stint as PRO-NIR regional director over the weekend. Brig. Gen. Rudecindo Reales formally succeeded him Monday.
PRO-NIR said the new leadership would seek to sustain previous enforcement efforts while focusing on peace and order, community protection and police services for residents of Negros and Siquijor.