SEVEN drug users were arrested while close to P300,000 worth of marijuana plants were destroyed as the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera scored anew on its anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Members of the Buguias Municipal Police Station (MPS) caught the seven individuals while having pot session at a shanty in Cayapas, Baculongan Sur, Buguias, Benguet in the evening of January 30.
Apprehended were Amado Olsino Dolinen, 39; July Dominguez Manuel, 33; Menandro Kiblasen Pa-Ay, 29; Paul Bolinto Mitas, 20; Elvis Kiblasen Mocate, 30; Enan Buteng Batio-An, 23; and Eldito Bateng-An Alicwadey, 32.
Confiscated from the suspects were 12 sachets of suspected shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia.
Meanwhile, a total of P299,000 worth of fully grown marijuana plants were uprooted and destroyed in Kibungan, Benguet during a three-day marijuana eradication operation.
Troops from Benguet Provincial Mobile Force(BPMFC) in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Cordillera uprooted a total of 1,346 fully grown marijuana plants worth P149,000 cultivated in a 380 square meter land area in Tacadang, Kibungan on January 27 and 28.
In another marijuana operation held in Palina, Kibungan, 2,096 fully grown marijuana plants were also uprooted by the joint operatives of Kibungan MPS, Provincial Investigation Bureau(PIB) and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), Benguet Provincial Police Office (PPO)and PDEA-CAR.
The illegal weeds were located in a 530 square meters land with a total dangerous drug board value of P150,000.
Colonel Elmer Ragay, Benguet Provincial Police Office director commended all the personnel involved in the operation for their dedication in the implementation of Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign of PNP.
Ragay also praised the citizen’s cooperation and effort on the prompt reporting of illegal drugs activity that resulted in the apprehension of the suspects.
The police officer also encourages the continuous support, participation and involvement of the community in the anti-drug war of the government, and to report also to the authorities any illegal activities being committed in their respective barangays. (With reports from Lauren Alimondo)