CEBU CITY – Law enforcement officers in Central Visayas region have seized illegal drugs worth PHP1.5 billion in 2024, according to Brig. Gen. Roy Parena, officer-in-charge of the Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7).
Parena highlighted the year’s achievements on Thursday, reporting 7,557 anti-illegal drug operations that led to the arrest of 8,772 offenders.
Authorities confiscated 231,025.63 grams of illegal drugs valued at PHP1.57 billion, alongside marijuana plants worth PHP7.15 million and 1,055 ampules of Nubain valued at PHP121,325.
“As we continue to fulfill our mandated tasks of preventing crime, maintaining peace and order, and ensuring public safety, PRO-7 has made meaningful progress in Central Visayas through our effective anti-crime strategies,” Parena said.
He commended the dedication and integrity of the region’s police force and urged them to sustain their efforts into 2025.
Aside from drug operations, PRO-7 conducted 7,592 anti-illegal gambling campaigns that led to the arrest of 12,624 individuals and confiscated PHP1.36 million in cash.
Efforts to curb loose firearms, on the other hand, resulted in the arrest of 1,013 individuals, recovery of 4,127 firearms, 148 explosives, and various ammunition across 3,942 operations.
Additionally, 7,259 operations targeting wanted persons led to the capture of 905 individuals on the most-wanted list and 6,354 others with outstanding warrants.
Crime statistics in Central Visayas reflected an 8.75 percent reduction in index crimes, dropping from 4,013 cases in 2023 to 3,662 in 2024.
Parena attributed the decline to enhanced police visibility, checkpoint operations, and focused anti-crime strategies.
The region also achieved a clearance efficiency of 99.24 percent and a solution efficiency of 89.07 percent, reflecting the diligence of investigators in filing appropriate cases. (PNA)