PDEA-6 beefs up security in San Carlos seaport

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Seaport Interdiction Unit-Negros Occidental of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-6 is continuously strengthening security at the seaport and pump boat terminals in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

The teams screened personal belongings and conducted profiling of passengers.

According to PDEA-6, this initiative was aimed to discourage drug smugglers in utilizing different seaports in the province as their major entry point of illegal activities.

Just last week, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) seized P7.5 million worth of illegal drugs in separate buy-bust operations here, and the said drug recoveries were alleged to be sourced out from San Carlos City.

However, Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, public information of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), earlier said they have no confirmation yet on the said allegation. But, she noted that their intelligence monitoring is ongoing.

Donasco also said that they have strong coordination with various law enforcement agencies to man all seaports in the province to prevent the entry of illegal drugs and other contrabands.

In 2018, the province recorded its biggest drug haul of P72 million worth of suspected shabu in San Carlos City, which entered the shoreline of Negros Island through a pump boat.