Five “tourists” caught smuggling out over P2M cannabis in Kalinga

La Trinidad, Benguet (February 16, 2022) – Five posing as tourists were caught by policemen Tuesday in sitio Dinakan, barangay Dangoy, Lubuagan, Kalinga after trying to sneak out over P2 million worth of marijuana.

The “tourists” came from Barangay Buscalan, Tinglayan town, infamous for marijuana plantations and semi-processing of marijuana by-products like marijuana bricks, marijuana tubes, and marijuana oil (hashish).

Cordillera police said the five were flagged down at a police checkpoint after authorities were tipped off by an informant.

The suspects were named:  Mark Adrian Aguilar, 18; Andrie S Punsalan, 21; Ramil Limtoyoco Dela Cruz, 21; Alvin Triplett Medel, 24 and Mark Joseph Dela Pena, 23.  Police said the suspects are from Metro Manila and Pampanga.

At least 17 bricks of dried marijuana leave with an estimated weight of 15,028 grams and Standard Drug Price of P1,803,360.00; eight tubular marijuana leaves weighing 5,480 grams with an SDP of P657,600.00; two small hashish in cigarette form weighing 10 grams with an SDP of P1,200.00; and four sachets of marijuana in cookies form weighing 360 grams with an estimated SDP of P43,200.00.

After the drug evidence was marked and inventoried for the litigation, the suspects along with the seized evidence were brought to the Lubuagan Municipal Police Station (MPS).

Artemio A. Dumlao