NPD STEPS UP DRUG DRIVE

THE Northern Police District (NPD) has stepped up its campaign against
illegal drug trafficking in its jurisdiction to prevent a repetition
of what happened in Pasig City, where a clandestine shabu mini-market
was uncovered right at the noses of police authorities.

Director Leopoldo Bataoil, NPD chief, said his office has identified
15 "hot spots" in Valenzula City alone.

Bataoil said that Supt. Billy Beltran, Valenzuela City police chief,
has assured the Valenzuela Antidrug Abuse Council, headed by Vice
Mayor Antonio Espiritu, that they would stop drug trafficking in the
city.

He said the NPD would conduct a parallel "supply-and-demand reduction
drive" to completely decimate the illegal drugs trade in his district.

Bataoil said coordination with barangay officials before, during and
after antidrugs operations by the drug-enforcement units was one of
the problems in their drive against illegal drugs, but he said this
has been resolved.

"It was agreed that regular meetings and networking will be held to
make the antidrugs campaign effective," he said.

Meanwhile in Caloocan City, the police have arrested 22 suspected drug
peddlers at a Muslim compound in Barangay 66, Zone 6.

Supt. Napoleon Cuaton, officer in charge of the Anti-Illegal Drug
Special Operation Unit, said seven of those arrested are suspected of
maintaining drug dens while the others were either shabu users of pushers.