NO MORE DRUG RINGS IN PANGASINAN: PDEA SAYS

There Are No More Drug Syndicates Operating In Pangasinan.

This was declared in a joint assessment of the provincial offices of
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP following
reports that at the start of 2004, two out of the eight known drug
syndicates were still operating in the province.

It is believed that the two organized drug groups, though not as big
as the neutralized Bascos and Andrada groups, could have shifted their
operations to another venue.

Nevertheless, the campaign against illegal drugs continues and the
directive of the PNP high authorities for the various police field
offices to continue monitoring drug personalities remains.

The Pangasinan Provincial Police Office reported that in its illegal
drug campaign from January 2003 up to the present, they confiscated
around P1.687-million worth of shabu and marijuana.

The PPPO directive for the police station to continue monitoring and
arresting suspected drug personalities to avoid getting a negative
rating is still in effect.

Out of the 168 earlier reported drug-affected barangays, 131
communities had already been cleared, giving the local police a 77.97
percent accomplishment rate.

The local police officers expressed optimism the remaining 37
barangays would eventually be drug-free before yearend.

It was also learned that more than 340 drug personalities had been
arrested with cases already filed against them in court.

Police said while a few drug personalities remain in the province,
these are only small-time drug pushers/users since the big-time drug
suspects have already been arrested.