IF the illegal drug trade in Pangasinan continues to worsen in spite of intensified campaign by the Pangasinan police, it is because there are still 15 drug syndicates that continue to operate in the province’s towns and cities.

The continued active operation of the 15 syndicates in Pangasinan was recently confirmed by the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that has been monitoring the groups’ operations in coordination with other law enforcement agencies.

Bismarck Bengwayan, PDEA’s region 1 information officer, said several members of these groups were already arrested but declined to divulge any more information about the groups and cited the recent arrest of two drug group members in the province.

PDEA Region 1 reported it has conducted 212 operations in the region since January to date and arrested 27 high value targets (HVT).

In 2015, 37 high value targets in Pangasinan were arrested in their 1, 439 operations in the region.

“Fifteen of the HVT were group members operating under various anti narcotics operations, and 15 are minors,” Bengwayan said.

In 2013, 16 minors were arrested and other 13 were arrested in 2014.

He added so far 2.22 grams of Shabu, 105, 626.40 grams of marijuana stalks, 187.2 grams marijuana dried leaves, 127 pieces marijuana fruiting tops and 20, 010.40 marijuana bricks were seized in their operations in the region.

Meanwhile, 2,088 cases have been filed in court against the arrested suspects in Pangasinan since from 2002.

He added the operations by “The City Anti- Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) and the Barangay Anti- Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) in several municipalities are helping but not all are active”, Bengwayan said. (Hilda Austria)

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