The Philippine National Police (PNP) has intensified station-level monitoring of its anti-narcotics campaign to counter shifting strategies by drug syndicates, police officials announced.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said law enforcement agencies have seized more than P122 billion worth of illegal drugs over the past four years, attributing the gains to improved inter-agency intelligence-sharing and joint operations.

The directive follows recent operations, including a joint raid with the Philippine Navy in Tawi-Tawi that resulted in the death of a drug dealer and the recovery of P1.8 million worth of illegal drugs. Investigators found that the local syndicate had begun targeting and recruiting local fishermen.

“We are on the right track in the campaign against illegal drugs, and we will continue to pursue strategic measures to deny drug syndicates the opportunity to establish and sustain their operations in any part of the country,” Nartatez said.

The strategy aligns with directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla to protect vulnerable communities from exploitation by drug syndicates.