LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – More than P2.2 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated while two drug personalities were arrested by combined police operatives and anti-narcotics agents during a one-day simultaneous anti-illegal drug operation conducted in Kalinga and Benguet recently.
In Benguet, five marijuana plantation sites planted with 4,310 fully grown marijuana plants and 11,450.00 grams of dried marijuana stalks with an overall Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P2,236,000.00 were discovered during a series of marijuana eradication operations conducted in barangay Tacadang and barangay Badeo, Kibungan, and in barangay Kayapa, Bakun.
The said operations were successful through the efforts of the joint operatives of Bakun Municipal Police Station (MPS), Kibungan MPS, 1st and 2nd Benguet Provincial Mobile Force Companies (PMFC), Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) and Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) of Benguet Police Provincial Office (PPO), Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of PRO CAR, Regional Intelligence Unit-14 (RIU-14), and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-CAR.
All discovered marijuana plants were documented and incinerated on-site, with sufficient samples taken for submission to the Regional Forensic Unit-CAR. Further, investigations are ongoing to locate other marijuana plantation sites in nearby areas and to apprehend those involved in these illicit activities.
Meanwhile, in Kalinga, a male aged 31, listed as a High Value Individual, and another male aged 32, listed as a Street Level Individual, were arrested in a buy-bust operation launched by the joint operatives of PDEU and PIU of Kalinga PPO, Tabuk City Police Station, 1st Kalinga PMFC, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15, RID PRO CAR, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Kalinga in barangay Bulanao Norte, Tabuk City.
The suspects were apprehended after they sold one sachet of suspected shabu weighing approximately 0.20 grams with an SDP of P1,360.00 to an operative who acted as a poseur buyer.
During their arrest, another six sachets of suspected shabu weighing approximately 3.00 grams with an SDP of P20,400.00 were seized from the possession of the suspects.
The suspects and the confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to PDEU-Kalinga for documentation and proper disposition, while charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared against the suspects.
By Dexter A. See
