PDEA destroys over P1.2B worth of illegal drugs in Cavite

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday destroyed more than  912 kilograms of different pieces of drug evidence worth over P1.295 billion in Trece Martires City, Cavite.

In a statement, the PDEA said the set of evidence was destroyed through thermal decomposition at the facility of the Integrated Waste Management, Inc. (IWMI).

Thermal decomposition or thermolysis is breaks down chemical compounds by heat.  At 1,000 degrees centigrade, all dangerous drugs are totally decomposed or broken down, according to the PDEA.

The dangerous drugs destroyed were methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, toluene, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, among others.

A report of PDEA Laboratory Service showed the amount of the following illegal drugs that were destroyed:

• 133,134.40 grams of shabu, with an estimated street value of P905,313,916.00
• 102,330 ml of liquid shabu worth P208,753,200.00
• 10.10 grams of toluene worth P1,066.16
• 504,198.96 grams of marijuana worth P60,503,863.34
• 3,585.40 grams of cocaine worth P19,002,638.55
• 4,131.34 grams of MDMA worth P28,319,696.77
• 209,584.30 grams of pseudoephedrine worth P72,432,334.08
• 122.48 grams of ephedrine worth P612,400.00
• 30.26 grams of diazepam worth P2,345.15
• 65.93 grams of nitrazepam worth P1,401.10
• 30.23 grams of alprazolam worth P642.39
• 49.69 grams of methylephedrine worth P79,504.00
• 4.50 grams of ketamine worth P27,346.50
• 350 ml of GBL
• 6,090.50 grams of opium
• 0.42 grams of methylphenidate
• 50,000.00 grams of expired medicines

PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva lauded the different branches of Regional Trial Courts for expeditious prosecution and disposition of drug cases leading to the immediate destruction of the evidence.

“We want to assure the public that all seized illegal drugs under the custody of PDEA will all be destroyed, thus allaying fears of recycling,” Villanueva said.

The destruction of the dangerous drugs is in compliance with the guidelines stated of the Section 21, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 1, Series of 2002, the PDEA said.

Also present during the ceremony were officials of the local government,  Philippine National Police, Department of Justice, Department of the Interior and Local Government , non-government organizations, and members of the media. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News