ANTI-NARCOTICS operatives in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) uprooted last week P42 million worth of marijuana plants in Tinglayan, Kalinga.
In a belated police report, the operation was conducted by joint operatives from the Kalinga Provincial Police Office Provincial Intelligence Branch (PPO-PIB), Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), Tinglayan Municipal Police Station, Kalinga Provincial Mobil force Command, Police Regional Office-Cordillera DEU, Regional Intelligence Dvivision, 1503rd Regional Mobile Force Batallion 15 (RFMB), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Kalinga, PDEA Mountain Province, PDEA-Ilocos, PDEA-Cagayan Valley, and PDEA-Mimaropa.
Authorities conducted the uprooting of illegal weeds in two sites in Loccong, Tinglayan on July 29 and 30.
The joint operation led to the uprooting of 210,000 marijuana planted in two sites estimated at 8,000 square meters.
Police, however, failed to apprehend any cultivator.
In another operation, a high-value target, identified as James Bagni, was nabbed in Sitio Dantay, Alab Oriente, Bontoc, and Mountain Province on July 23 during the implementation of a search warrant, which led to the confiscation and seizure of two sachets of shabu.
Four more individuals were caught in a buy-bust operation after they sold sachets of shabu to anti-narcotics operatives who acted as poseur buyers.
On July 29, Laurence Ralph Erise was apprehended along Zapote Road, Laya East, Tabuk City, Kalinga, resulting in the confiscation of five sachets of shabu and P1,000 buy-bust money.
A 17-year-old minor from La Trinidad, Benguet was taken into custody after he was caught in Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet in the afternoon of July 20 with one plastic sachet containing shabu, P1,000 buy-bust money, and one cellular phone.
On July 21, Martin Cadap Bataclao, 29, a resident of Lower Magsaysay, Baguio City was apprehended in Balite, Longlong-Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet. He was caught with three plastic sachets of shabu, a cellular phone and P1,000 buy-bust money.
On July 23, Rizalino Inway was caught in Loo, Buguias, Benguet with two plastic sachets of shabu, drug paraphernalia, a cellular phone and P1,000 buy-bust money.
Cases for violation of the Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, were filed against all suspects. (Jonathan Llanes)