Negros oriental: Police in Negros Oriental are intensifying efforts in anticipation of the rise in illegal drug activities in the summer months, an official said on Wednesday. Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), highlighted the increased vigilance as officers prepare for the seasonal influx of tourists during Holy Week and the summer.

According to Philippines News Agency, Capt. Polinar explained that illegal drug activity typically surges during these months due to the increase in tourist numbers. "For the past years, we have noticed a trend of the upsurge in illegal drug activity during the Holy Week and the summer months due to the influx of tourists," he stated.

The anti-illegal drug campaign has been bolstered through various measures, including checkpoints, intelligence monitoring, and surveillance, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies. Records from the NOrPPO show that from January 1 to March 31 this year, police seized over 1,000 grams of suspected shabu with a street value of approximately PHP6.9 million. Additionally, authorities confiscated some PHP600,000 worth of suspected dried marijuana leaves and uprooted marijuana plants.

During this period, law enforcement conducted 137 operations, resulting in the arrest of 23 high-value individuals, 120 street-level individuals, and one other person not listed in the police's roster of drug personalities. Capt. Polinar noted a significant arrest on Holy Tuesday, where police apprehended a suspected high-value individual during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Looc in the capital city, seizing approximately PHP408,000 worth of suspected shabu.