PHILIPPINE authorities have destroyed P11-million worth of fully grown marijuana plants and seedlings in three northern provinces last week, an official said on Sunday.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Jose Gutierrez Jr. said his agency and the Philippine National Police (PNP) agents burned the plants during simultaneous marijuana eradication in Benguet, Ifugao and Mountain Province.
The team, composed of agents from PDEA–Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) under Director Ronald Allan Ricardo and PNP operatives from the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG)-CAR and the Provincial Police Offices in Benguet, Ifugao and Mt. Province, swept three sitios in Bakun, Benguet: Sitio Dayag, Bulisay and Mabilig; Sitio Dalipey in Kibungan, Benguet; Sitio Puwal in Tinoc, Ifugao; and Barangay Sinto in Bauko, Mt. Province.
Gutierrez said, however, that no cultivator was arrested during the operation, but the operating team was able to seize 11 plantation sites covering a total of 6,650 square meters.
They uprooted 46,200 fully grown marijuana plants and 55,000 marijuana seedlings with a total worth of P11,440,000 based on the value set by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).
The marijuana plants and seedlings were destroyed on the spot.
“With this recent eradication operation, we continue to remind the public to stay away from illegal drugs and to remain vigilant against illegal drug activities,” Gutierrez said. (SDR/Sunnex)