'Nang gumalaw ang barangay': NCRPO seizes P18.5 M worth of illegal drugs, arrests 603 in 15 days
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) confiscated around P18.5 million of illegal drugs and arrested 603 people in the intensified anti-illegal drugs campaign in Metro Manila from Aug. 1 to 15.
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin attributed the operational gains to the active participation of barangay officials in the fight against illegal drugs.
“This campaign is more than an enforcement drive—it is a promise of safer streets, stronger families, and a brighter future for every Filipino,” said Aberin.
Based on the data, a total of 429 anti-illegal drug operations were conducted in the first 15 days of this month and resulted in the arrest of 603 illegal drugs suspects.
A total of 2,697.02 grams of shabu; 230.66 grams of marijuana dried leaves; and 54.3 grams of kush were confiscated in the operations. The seized illegal drugs have a street value of ₱18,448,865.20.
Earlier, national police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said the fight against illegal drugs must take root at the barangay level.
“Every barangay is a frontline post in our battle against illegal drugs. BADACs (Barangay Anti-Drugs Abuse Councils) are not just administrative bodies—they are the sentinels of their communities. We count on them to lead both in preventing the spread of illegal drugs and in giving hope to those willing to turn their lives around,” said Torre.
Aberin explained that Torre’s emphasized the recalibrated national anti-drug strategy that integrates intensified law enforcement with community-based rehabilitation.
“It aims not only to neutralize drug sources but also to offer genuine opportunities for recovery and change,” said Aberin.
“For NCRPO, the fight against illegal drugs is not measured only by arrests or seizures but by safer streets, restored trust, and lives reclaimed from addiction,” he added.