MANILA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has arrested 56,495 drug-related suspects and confiscated 10.41 billion pesos (over 187 million U.S. dollars) worth of illegal drugs in 2023, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Thursday.
Citing a national police report, the PCO said the law enforcement conducted over 44,000 anti-illegal drug operations last year, attributing "the recent government successes" in the anti-illicit drugs campaign to the administration's new strategy to curb drug dependence by focusing on rehabilitation, reintegration, and preventive education programs that specifically target the youth.
The Philippines continues to grapple with illicit drug use and trafficking.
The current administration aims to attain 100 percent drug-free villages in 2028 when Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos ends his single, six-year presidency. ■
