This should prevent a possible resale of the contraband, said Dutertes spokesman Harry Roque today. The government will only keep a small portion of it as evidence against suspects, but will no longer burden itself with storing all of the confiscated drugs. „The president has set a one-week deadline for the destruction of the drugs,“ said Roque.
Since Duterte took office around four years ago, the authorities in the Southeast Asian island nation have confiscated more than seven tons of „Shabu“ worth 53 billion Philippine pesos (930 million euros). Shabu is the local name for methamphetamine (crystal meth), the most widely used drug in the Philippines. Large amounts of cocaine and marijuana were also confiscated.
Duterte announced crackdown on drug criminals when he was elected in 2016. He threatened drug smugglers with death and encouraged criminal investigators to shoot suspects rather than endanger their lives. Human rights activists have accused the government of serious human rights violations in their fight against drug crime. Thousands of people suspected of drug use or trafficking have reportedly been systematically killed.
