Writer: Alex
THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) led the destruction of some P103.8 million worth of illegal drugs and expired medicines classified as dangerous drugs in this city, the PDEA said Saturday, October 19, 2024.
Maharani Gadaoni-Tosoc, PDEA-Zamboanga Peninsula director, said the destruction was held in the afternoon of Friday, October 18, at Permex Producer and Exporter Corporation in Ayala village, Zamboanga City.
Gadaoni-Tosoc said the destroyed drugs composed of 14,547.6618 grams of shabu worth P98,924,100.24; 22,947.4168 grams of marijuana worth P2,753,690,02; and 6,062 pieces of expired medicines classified as dangerous drugs worth P2,198,341.2.
Gadaoni-Tosoc said illegal drugs were disposed off by means of thermal destruction method as prescribed under Section 6 of Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 1, Series of 2002.
“This method employs heat of up to 800 degrees Celsius, making the dangerous drugs totally destroyed.” Gadaoni-Tosoc said in a statement.
She said the destruction of seized dangerous drugs is one of the mandates of PDEA and the destroyed illegal drugs were all covered by court orders and order from the PDEA director general for those not covered by any case filed before any court of law.
She said the destruction of dangerous drugs underscores the commitment of PDEA and other law enforcement agencies in the fight against illegal drugs, making sure that seized illegal drugs do not make their way back to the community.
The destruction of illegal drugs on Friday, October 18, was witnessed by officials of local government, military, police, coast guard, and other agencies including Regional Trial Courts and members of the local media.
Undersecretary Earl Saavedra, the Executive Director of the Dangerous Drugs Board served as the Guest of Honor and Speaker during the event.
Friday’s destruction was the second for the year undertaken by PDEA-Zamboanga Peninsula.
The first involved the destruction of some P1.5 million worth of illegal drugs was at the Libertad Power and Energy Corporation (LPEC) in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur on August 8, 2024.
