The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas revealed on Monday that it has confiscated more than P334 million worth of shabu for 2023.

PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Alcantara said the accomplishment was from January until 21 December 2023.

She added that PDEA-7 — together with other units — conducted a total of 138 operations that led to the apprehension of 326 drug personalities in the region and dismantled 55 drug dens.

In a span of almost 12 months, the PDEA-7 confiscated 49,194.4585 grams of shabu with market value of P334,522,317.80.

Alcantara disclosed that Central Visayas is second in the list of areas with highest drug affectation in the entire Philippines which is pegged at 40.59 percent. However, she reiterated that there has been some improvement based on the record of the successful operations carried out in 2023.

"Nevertheless, if we look at the regional situation, there was big improvement. We have big success compared to previous years. We started in 2017 were drug affectation was 96 percent and this year it's at 40.59 percent," Alcantara said.

Out of the 3,003 barangays in the region, only 1,219 remain drug-affected while a total of 224 barangays are categorized as drug-cleared in the region.

Alcantara stressed the significance of destruction of dangerous drugs as part of supply reduction.

In 2023, PDEA-7 conducted a total of two destruction activities in 18 February and October 12 wherein the pieces of drug evidence were destroyed through burning.

"This goes to show that the drugs PDEA-7 confiscated are permanently destroyed instead of being thrown back in the streets for the consumption of drug users," Alcantara said.

The agency destroyed more than 75 kilos of shabu, more than 2 kilos of marijuana and other drugs with a total value of P521,656,295.