THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday burned assorted illegal drugs worth P777.62 million that were seized by law enforcers in anti-narcotics operations.
This is the third time PDEA has destroyed seized illegal drugs, through incineration, this year. The two others were in February and June when a total of P13.61 billion worth of illegal drugs were burned.
The illegal drugs were burned at the Integrated Waste Management Incorporated in Barangay Aguado, Trece Martirez City, Cavite.
They included 66.72 kilos of shabu, 1.39 tons of marijuana, 14.14 kilos of ecstacy, and 428 grams of cocaine.
“The pieces of drug evidence were stacked inside an incinerator chamber and exposed to high temperatures of over 1,000 degrees centigrade,” PDEA said in a statement.
“All dangerous drugs were reduced to ashes, and completely decomposed or broken down. Thus, they are impossible to reconstitute. The destruction process should deter drug recycling and pilferage,” it added.
It said the illegal drugs were seized by PDEA and other law enforcement agencies in the continuing campaign against illegal drugs but are no longer needed as evidence in court.
It said the “expeditious prosecution and disposition of drug cases” led to the destruction of the illegal drugs.
The burning was witnessed by representatives from the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, PNP, other law enforcement agencies, non-government organizations and members of the media.
Operatives of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group arrested four suspected drug dealers during a buy-bust operation in Barangay San Juan in Taytay, Rizal last Wednesday afternoon.
The suspects, described as “high-value targets,” were identified only as Oski, 40; Verly, 33; Sittie, 32; and Jesus, 50.
Seized from them were 1.01 kilos of shabu worth P6.86 million.
