FOLLOWING a series of arrests involving minors, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera is set to refocus its apprehension procedures on minors involved in illegal drug trade.

In the fourth quarter meeting of the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Council (RLECC) at the Baguio City Police Office, PRO-Cordillera Director Israel Ephraim Dickson pointed out the need to identify those persons who use minors in the sale and transport of illegal drugs coming from the region.

"Sometimes, there are technicalities being used by criminals. Those minors or children in conflict with the law who are caught are forwarded to the Social Welfare department and eventually released, giving them the opportunity to go back to the illegal drug trade. What we are focusing now on is to identify the brains behind these crimes," Dickson said.

Just recently, Sabangan police arrested two 17-year-old boys from Quezon City. They were intercepted aboard a bus and were found to have with them P480,000 worth of marijuana.

"We need to identify those who instruct or order the minors to engage in the illegal drug trade so that once and for all, we would arrest these persons using minors in the illegal drug trade and other criminal activities," Dickson added.

Recently, two other bus passengers from Marikina City were also caught in a bus terminal in Bontoc. Seized from them were 12.95 kilograms of marijuana worth P1.5 million.

Dickson said they have noticed a rising trend of young Manileños becoming drug couriers.