KIBUNGAN, Benguet – More than P4.3 million wroth of marijuana plants were uprooted and destroyed on site by combined police operatives and anti-narcotics agents during a 3-day marijuana eradication operation in 14 plantation sites having a total land area of 3,119 square meters in six sitios in barangay Tacadang here over the weekend.
Superintendent Cherry Fajardo, public information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Cordillera, said the 18,800 pieces of fully grown marijuana and 15,000 pieces of marijuana seedlings were planted in sitios Dinummeg, Asob, Bana, Lawed, Minac and Tanap of Barangay Takadang here.
She cited bulk of the uprooted marijuana plants were burned on site by the operating troops while a certain percentage of the same were taken by the government forces for evidentiary purposes.
According to her, police operatives are still conducting the proper investigation to ascertain the cultivators of the illegal hemp that were planted in different sites in order to mislead the operating troops.
She claimed the successful marijuana eradication operations over the past several months should serve as a stern warning to all marijuana cultivators regionwide that the PNP means business in pursuing all those involved in illegal drug trade to contribute in efforts to establish a drug free community.
By Dexter A. See