AUTHORITIES burned P12.4 million worth of marijuana plants and dried marijuana stalks in separate operations in Kibungan town in Benguet, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported.
PDEA and PNP operatives swooped down on three marijuana plantations in Sitio Kawa, Barangay Badeo last Friday and found 29,400 fully-grown marijuana plants and five kilos of dried marijuana stalks valued at P6.5 million.
The marijuana plantations had a total land area of 3,300 square hectares.
PDEA-Cordillera Administrative Region director Joel Plaza said the plants were uprooted and burned along with the dried marijuana.
PDEA and PNP personnel raided three other marijuana plantations, with a total land area of 4,500 square meters, in Sitio Naptung, also in Barangay Badeo, also last Friday.
A total of 19,500 fully-grown marijuana plants worth P5.9 million were found at the plantations.
“The marijuana plants were destroyed and burned on-site right after the operation,” PDEA said in a statement.
No one was arrested during the marijuana eradication operations.
In Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, police operatives arrested a “high-value” drug suspect in a buy-bust operation in Purok Mabugnawon in Barangay Junob also last Friday, the Central Visayas police regional office reported.
Seized from the suspect, who was not identified, were 200 grams of shabu worth P1.36 million, the buy-bust money, a mobile phone, and a belt bag.
The suspect is facing charges of possession and selling of illegal drugs.
The suspect will face charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PRO7-PIO)
Central Visayas police director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said: “We are committed to an aggressive and intelligence-driven approach to drug enforcement, aligned with PRO7’s (Police Regional Office 7) peace and order operational framework, to ensure a safer and more secure Region 7 (Central Visayas).”
