184 DRUG-AFFECTED AREAS IN BULACAN CLEARED BY PNP

MALOLOS CITY - The Bulacan police have cleared 184 drug-affected baran-gays
in the province in the past 12 months following the confiscation of
P711.886-million worth of the illegal substance methamphetamine
hydrochloride, or shabu, the arrest of 345 drug pushers and 661 drug users,
and the filing of 821 cases in court.

A copy of the report obtained by The Manila Times showed that Malolos City
topped other local government units in the province with 20 drug-affected
barangays cleared. It was followed by San Rafael with 15; San Ildefonso, 13;
Baliuag, 12; San Jose del Monte City, Hagonoy and Santa Maria with 10 each.

Supt. Arnold Gunnacao, head of the Provincial Intelligence and Investigation
Branch, said on Friday that effective community relations helped in their
relentless campaign against illegal drugs.

There are 569 barangays in Bulacan's 22 towns and two component cities, with
198 of these being drug-affected before June 2003.

But Bulacan PNP's aggressive campaign against illegal drugs reduced the 198
drug-affected barangays to only 26 after June 30 this year.

The police confiscated a total of 76891.0223 grams of shabu in their
year-long operations. The biggest haul came from Marilao, where P88-million
worth of shabu was taken, trailed by P132,646 in Malolos City and
P104,692,349 in Norzagaray.

This performance earned the Bulacan PNP an award from Central Luzon police
office this year.