OVER 2,000 grams of a “shabu” amounting to P15 million was confiscated by the police during their Simultaneous Anti-Criminality and Law Enforcement Operations throughout Central Visayas.The police also arrested 520 persons, including drug personalities (178), illegal gun possessors (15), gamblers (295) and wanted persons (32), during the region-wide anti-criminality campaign from Feb. 25 to 26, 2022.The illegal drugs weighing 2,242.3 kilograms with a total value of P15,247,606 were seized from 178 illegal drug traders.Another 178 firearms and explosives were seized from 15 persons, 32 wanted personalities arrested and 295 gamblers nabbed with their P29,815 bet money.Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega, chief of the Police Regional Office 7, commended his men for their success and said they would continue their campaign to thwart illegal gambling and drug activities in the region.“PRO7 will further intensify anti-criminality drive in the region. Recent success is attributed to the series of operations conducted by all police units as well as the cooperation of the public,” Vega said.During the simultaneous anti-criminality drive, Cebu City had the highest number of drug personalities and illegal drugs arrested and confiscated respectively. Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operation of the Cebu City Police Office, said they seized more than P4 million worth of shabu during the 36 anti-illegal drug operations that resulted in the arrest of 40 suspects.They also arrested 11 most wanted persons in 25 operations.Parilla believed that the lifting of curfew and the reopening of bars have contributed to the increase in the demand for illegal drugs.“One of the things we’ve observed is that once you have high demand, probably the supply will also go up,” said Parilla.Parilla ordered the station commanders to monitor business establishments that remain open until the wee hours, such as karaoke bars, beer houses and disco halls, where illegal drug trading activities are likely to occur.