‘More drug shipment expected next month’
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA) 6 is expecting a drop in the illegal drug supply during the Christmas season but demand is expected to surge next month for the upcoming major events in the region, including the Dinagyang Festival in January.
PDEA 6 officer-in-charge Paul Ledesma said that based on a yearly trend, drug demand during December is low because families get together, but on the first week of the year, more drug shipment is expected to arrive.
Aside from the Dinagyang, festivals such as the Ati-atihan in Kalibo, Aklan and the Paraw Regatta, Chinese New Year and Jaro fiesta in Iloilo also provide demand for illegal drugs.
“The most in-demand are shabu and marijuana,” Ledesma said, adding that the need for cocaine and ecstasy pills is usually very minimal.
He said that during these major events, a team from PDEA 6 is assigned to augment forces and conduct monitoring in target areas.
Target areas are those reportedly with drug dens and presence of drug pushers and users.
Ledesma said the PDEA 6 is currently working on target development, and conducting surveillance and planning operations.
They will resume buy-bust and similar operations in the middle of the month, he said.
The PDEA 6 has 40 organic agents deployed around Western Visayas.*
