The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Northern Mindanao (PDEA-10) has intensified its efforts to track drug personalities and disrupt the supply of illegal drugs in the region, especially that drug transactions have reportedly shifted online.

PDEA-10 Director, Alex Tablate, said drug personalities are reportedly adapting to modern tactics, including the use of online communication and money transfers to facilitate transactions.

“Unsa man buot pasabot nga nag level up? Boss order mi usa ka tonelada. Ok money transfer sa. High tech na nag money transfer, confirm nga nisulod. Ok sige boss among i-deliver ihulog lang sa dagat send sa GPS, naa na GPS then pick up,” Tablate said.

PDEA-10 added that it is also monitoring new personalities involved in the illegal drug operations.

“As far as Northern Mindanao is concerned, at least wala ta’y identified dinhi nga area nga himuanan, ok, so more on consuming nga part diri kay naa man demand naay manggamitay,” Tablate added.

The anti-narcotics agency also observed that most of the shabu supply in the region is believed to be coming from the backdoor areas in Western Mindanao.

However, PDEA assured the public that that is also upgrading its technology and operations, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, police arrested a 41-year-old man and seized suspected shabu worth more than P1 million in a buy-bust operation in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.

Authorities seized nine sachets of suspected shabu weighing around 206 grams.

“Actually, kining si ‘Marjun’ nadakpan na ni siya sauna last 2022 and then na-release lang ni siya sa prisohan last March lang this year. So, nibalik gihapon siya sa pagpamaligya,” Villanueva Municipal Police Station Chief, Major Princess Bergado, said.

Police are already tracking the suspect’s companions in the illegal drug trade in the province.

“According sa iyaha bag-o siya nabagsakan ani nga supply. So, mao ni nga ingon ani kadaghan ang among narekober sa iyaha . I-distribute pa to niya sa iyang mga parokyano padulong og Lagonlong nga area, mutabok pa siya sa Jasaan ug other municipalities,” Bergado added.