DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Authorities here destroyed A total of P23.6 million worth of illegal drugs evidence and expired medicines were burned Monday afternoon at the Holcim plant.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency XI regional director Antono Rivera said destroying the confiscated drugs which have been submitted as court evidence in regions XI and XII is in compliance with Republic Act 9165 “The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“Those burned were evidence on drug cases already decided,” Rivera emphasized.
“This is to break the notion of the people that the seized illegal drugs are being recycled and sell again in the streets, ” he said.
Also included were expired medicines which authorities confiscated or surrendered by pharmaceutical companies.
The illegal drugs were burned after those were used as evidence in court but the cases have been decided.
Of the total volume, Region 11 burned P22.9-million worth of illegal drugs, with
1,765.80 grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or ‘Shabu’ worth P21.1 million while burned Marijuana accounts 18,468.70 grams or with a street value of P738,748, four pieces of ecstasy worth P18,000 and expired medicines worth P976,986.
Illegal drugs burned from Region XII accounts toP761, 434 along with the expired medicines.
It also included the 58.4 grams of Shani worth P700, 800, Marijuana with 0.2 grams worth P8 and expires medicines worth P60, 626.
Rivera revealed that they requested the Holcim Philippines Inc. Ilang Road, Tibungco to help them destroy the illegal drugs and expired medicines to ensure proper disposal and it will not cause harm to the environment.
On Sunday, the Department of Finance also used the Holcim facility to destroy the 20 truckloads of confiscated cigarettes.The Holcim allowed the government to use their facility free of charge.-Armando B. Fenequito Jr./Newsline.ph
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