Around P74.3 billion worth of illegal drugs and laboratory equipment have been confiscated by the country’s anti-narcotics authorities since the start of President Duterte’s administration in 2016, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday night, Dec. 21.

In a briefing that lasted until Dec. 22, Año reported the operation resulted in the recovery of P62.36 billion worth of shabu which translates to 9,755.54 kilograms.

He added that over 500 kilograms of cocaine, 149,138 pieces of ecstasy and more than 9,300 kilograms of marijuana were also seized in the government’s massive anti-illegal drug drive.

The DILG chief also disclosed that 1,000 drug dens and clandestine laboratories have been dismantled with 23,686 out of the 35,416 drug-affected barangays nationwide now considered drug-cleared.

Año noted that the government has also destroyed 7,336.55 kilograms of shabu, 3,784.33 kilograms of marijuana, 12.64 kilograms of ecstasy, 510.52 kilograms of cocaine and 3,390.74 kilograms of other dangerous drugs.

“Through the anti-drug campaign, a total of 319,929 persons were arrested, while 6,221 persons have died during the operations,’’ Año said.

In the same report, Año noted that a total of 4,086 minors used by drug peddlers in their illegal operations were rescued, stressing that the administration's anti-drug campaign has resulted in lower crime rates.

The numerous anti-drug operations also yielded the arrest of 13,996 high-value targets which included 511 government workers, 394 elected officials, 126 uniformed personnel and 349 foreign nationals.

“Almost 41 percent po ang ibinaba ng crime volume. Tumaas din po ang ating crime solution efficiency, naging 85 percent at tumaas din po 'yong crime conclusion efficiency (The crime volume dropped to almost 41 percent. Our crime solution efficiency soared to 85 percent),’’ Año pointed out.

Duterte rose to power wooing the electorate in the context of his strong campaign promise to put premium on the country’s worsening illegal drug woes and even publicly calling the anti-narcotics authorities to kill the drug suspects if their lives are in danger. (Chito A. Chavez)