The Bacolod police will continue to relentlessly pursue the remnants of the Caunda drug syndicate and their female leader to put an end to their operations in the city, PCol. Noel Aliño, Bacolod police director, vowed on Friday, August 11.
There is a P100,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of Maria Caunda, the leader of the group who is from Mindanao, he reiterated.
Aliño said two ranking members of the drug syndicate, including Caunda’s right-hand man, who were arrested in Cebu have already been turned over to the Bacolod police.
“We are going after the source of the drugs”, he said, pointing out that persons arrested by the Bacolod police have pointed to the Caunda group as the source of their supply.
“Maria Caunda has a subgroup in Bacolod,” Aliño said.
The Bacolod City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) arrested Michael Frias, an alleged member of the Caunda drug group, and seized P14.38 million in shabu in Barangay Vista Alegre, Bacolod City, on Thursday.
Bacolod Police Precinct 8 operatives also arrested three alleged members of the group and seized P8.8 million in Barangay Singcang-Airport on August 3.
Aliño gave the Bacolod City Drug Enforcement Unit headed PCapt. Joven Mogato and the Bacolod Police Precinct 8 headed by PCapt. Melvin Mercado P50,000 each in rewards on Friday for their aggressive campaigns against illegal drugs.
Aliño said he is focusing on making Bacolod a drug-free city through aggressive operations versus illegal drugs.
Since he assumed the leadership of the Bacolod City Police Office 6.27 kilograms of shabu worth P40,983,600 have been seized, he said.
The shabu was seized during 159 operations that led to the arrest of 194 persons.
The police, during the same period, also arrested 59 most wanted persons and 124 other wanted persons, Aliño said.
Since the start of year 8.991 kilograms of shabu worth P61.1 million have been seized by the police in Bacolod City, he added.*