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The Philippine National Police-Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) has confiscated around P769.6-million worth of illegal drugs since the start of the Duterte administration.

In the data provided by the PDEG on Sunday showed that of the 279 operations it conducted since July 2016 up to October this year, it seized a total of 97.426 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu; 2,759 pieces of ecstasy; and 136.14 kilos of marijuana plants.

All confiscated illegal drugs have an estimated total value of P769.6 million.

According to PDEG chief of operations, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Dela Cerna, although 90 percent of drug users were using shabu, they were also focusing on marijuana users.

“We know that some (pushers) cultivate marijuana here in our country and we are also focusing on this because this is what common to high school students. In the previous months, we recovered marijuana in our transactions and mostly students were involved,” said Dela Cerna.

He said marijuana kush, liquid marijuana and vape marijuana were the new trends for the teenagers.

Dela Cerna said people were being enticed to enter in this kind of illegal business because of promise of bigger return of investment.

“Not only Filipino but also Chinese… there are also Mexicans. A lot of nationality went here maybe because they can see that we have problem in illegal drugs and they can take advantage on our existing law,” he said.

He said because of its large population, Luzon has the biggest problem when it comes to illegal drugs.

“(The problem) is concentrated in Luzon particularly in Metro Manila, Calabazon (Cavite- Laguna- Batangas- Quezon) and Central Luzon,” said Dela Cerna.

As of now, Dela Cerna said they were still lacking in terms of personnel.

“That’s why our recruitment is on-going so that we can complete our personnel in our regional offices,” he said.

PDEG is just one of the government's law enforcement units against illegal drugs. The lead agency is the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. Ella Dionisio/DMS