Baguio major transshipment point of illegal drugs

EDITORIAL

Baguio City is now a major transshipment point for illegal drugs in Northern Luzon according to government officials.

The number of drug affected barangays in the summer capital grew from 19 to 36 within a span of less than one year amidst campaign of law enforcers and anti-narcotics agents to stop operation of drug personalities, according to Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan.

Due to this transient residents in the city should be monitored by government forces in coordination with barangay officials in the city’s 128 barangays to check whether people are involved in the illegal trade.

“The city is a transhipment point of illegal drug traders but the sudden surge in drug affected barangays will definitely affect the city’s peace and order situation considering presence of drug personalities going in and out of the city,” Domogan said.

He said marijuana traders from Benguet and buyers from the lowlands transact business in the city to escape agents of the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Benguet, thus, the need for government forces to do surveillance operations and arrest those involved.

Domogan said middlemen from the lowlands get their supply of shabu from Metro Manila, Pangasinan or the Ilocos provinces and trade the prohibited drug in the city.

The mayor had directed barangay officials to tighten security measures in their respective places to identify transient residents and monitor their activities to make sure that they are not the ones shipping prohibited drugs in the city.

He also ordered police and anti-narcotics agents to coordinate with barangay officials to detect illegal drug traders and users before the situation gets out of control and many of the youth will be exposed to  prohibited drugs.

Domogan also directed public and private school officials to tighten security in their respective institutions to prevent the entry of illegal drugs in schools.

The local chief executive also ordered police, anti-narcotics agents and security guards to inspect bags of students to ensure non-entry of drugs in schools.