Over P11M cannabis up in smoke in remote Benguet village

La Trinidad, Benguet (February 28, 2020) — Anti-illegal drug operatives torched down P6.42 million worth of marijuana plants and dried stalks in at least 10 illicit plantation sites in remote hinterland village Batangan, in barangay Tacadang, Kibungan town, Benguet on Thursday.

The joint Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera agents, Benguet policemen and participated in by PDEA-Region 1 and PDEA Mimaropa operatives was codenamed “Oplan Apit Bulong” (Operation Plan Leaf Harvest).

The raid on the plantations were done ahead of the summer’s harvest season when the illicit marijuana trade comes to its peak during the dry season as the cannabis produce are dried from the long rainy season in the hinterlands middle of the year until October.

While another team of Benguet policemen and PDEA-Benguet agents swooped down on at least 4 illicit plantations also on Thursday at sitio Lamagan, also in Tacadang, Kibungan. Some 1,000 pieces of fully-grown marijuana planted on a 200-square meter lot valued at P200,000.00 went up in smoke while another 2,500 pieces of marijuana plants over a 500-square meter lot valued at P500,000.00 and already dried marijuana weighing 10,000 grams valued at P1,200,000.00 was discovered and torched at the second plantation.

A third plantation over at a 100-square meter lot with 600 marijuana plants valued at P120,000.00. A fourth plantation was also discovered at a 1,200-square meter lot with 6000 pieces of marijuana plants valued at P1,200,000.00 and already dried marijuana weighing 15,000 grams valued at P1,800,000.00 was also put ablaze.

Authorities however did not chance upon again any cultivator during Thursday’s raids.

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN

Amianan Balita Ngayon