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PRO 1 smashes P4.7M ‘MJ’ plantations; hunts cultivators

January 21, 2023 Christian D. Supnad 254 views

CAMP BGEN OSCAR M FLORENDO, La Union – Police and PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) agents are now hunting down the suspected “cultivators” of almost P5 million worth of marijuana (MJ) along the triboundaries in this province and Benguet who were able to escape during the anti-illegal drug operations.

On Thursday (January 19), two separate teams of police operatives uprooted and destroyed P4.7 million worth of marijuana plants in two different plantation sites located along the boundaries of Sitio Nagawa, Bgy. Caoayan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, and Sitio Culiang, Bgy. Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet (Team 1) and Sitio Nakneng and Sitio Nagawa of Bgy. Caoayan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, and Sitio Culiang, Bgy. Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet.

Police Brigadier Gen. John C. Chua, PRO (Police Regional Office) 1 director, said a total of 20,500 fully grown marijuana plants and five kilograms of dried marijuana were uprooted from the plantation sites with a total land area of 3,280 square meters.

The operation was conducted by joint elements of RPDEU1 (Lead Unit), Regional Investigation Division, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 1, Ilocos Sur 2nd PMFC, Sugpon MPS, Alilem MPS, PDEA RO1, and PDEA LUPPO.

Although no one was arrested, Chua further cited that the cultivators have been identified.

“The uprooting and destruction of these marijuana plants are already good feats. I am also glad that we have identified the cultivators here, in that way, their arrest would be made easier once warrants were already given,” he added.

These areas have long been identified as “marijuana capital” of the Philippines due to the unending presence of marijuana plantations in the areas.