PRO-NIR tracks new drug group, warns vs Tuklaw cigarettes

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) is closely monitoring a newly identified drug group suspected of operating within the region.

Police Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, said the group may not be from Negros Island but appears to have built local networks.

“Meron tayong nakita na bago pero pinag-aaralan pa namin,” he said, noting that efforts are underway to dismantle the group’s presence.

Following recent high-value drug operations—including the Aug. 14 seizure of PHP10.2 million worth of suspected shabu in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental—Ibay said Negros Island appears to be used as a transshipment hub due to its multiple access points.

He said authorities have strengthened coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard, the Maritime Group, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), holding weekly meetings to assess and improve anti-drug strategies.

Ibay credited recent arrests to effective intelligence work and emphasized that illegal drugs remain a persistent issue due to their profitability.

He added that law enforcement is not only focused on intercepting drug supplies but also on tracing operations back to financiers and distributors to dismantle entire syndicates.

“Ang drugs hindi tumitigil kasi napaka-lucrative for them,” Ibay said.

“Police are not only centered on supply and demand reduction, as they are also looking into what arrest will lead to another, enabling them to strategize on how to arrest them.”

Aside from ongoing anti-drug operations, authorities are also monitoring the reported entry of “Tuklaw” cigarettes, also known as Thuoc Lao.

Ibay said no formal complaints have been filed so far, but he learned about the product through social media.

He warned the public, especially students and parents, about the dangers of the substance and called for preventive education.

“We should be aggressive in schools to educate them not to patronize such product,” he said.

Ibay urged the public to remain vigilant as the police continue their campaign against illegal substances and emerging contraband.

The PDEA and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) recently issued public warnings on “Tuklaw,” noting that these cigarettes may contain nicotine and synthetic cannabinoids—chemicals more potent and dangerous than marijuana.

Users have reportedly suffered seizures, hallucinations, and psychotic episodes after smoking them.

According to PDEA, Thuoc Lao is a tobacco plant grown in the mountains of northern Vietnam.

Locally, it is either smoked or chewed as part of cultural rituals.

The traditional method involves using a bamboo bong, and its nicotine content may reach as high as 9 percent, compared to 1 to 3 percent in regular cigarettes.

PDEA warned that the product is often smuggled into the country and sold online.

It urged parents to warn their children, especially with the growing trend of “shotgun smoking,” where smoke is forcibly blown into another person’s mouth.

The DDB said it will work with health and law enforcement agencies to draft policies aimed at curbing the spread of synthetic cannabinoids and similar substances, with public health and safety as top priorities.