AUTHORITIES during the Holy Week arrested 15 individuals, including two minors, after yielding P4.37 million of marijuana bricks at a checkpoint in Kapangan, Benguet.
Operatives of the Benguet Provincial Police Office (BPPO) made the arrest after conducting a police checkpoint at Lomon, Paykek, Kapangan, Benguet around 2:30 a.m. of Wednesday, April 12.
Police were able to seized five sacks containing 41 marijuana bricks, 18 marijuana stalks with a total Dangerous Drug Board Value of P4,375,000 and cash amounting to P500,000.
Police Regional Office-Cordillera Regional Director Elmo Francis Sarona said the arrest provides a stern warning to all drug pushers and buyers to stop their illegal activities.
Sarona also encouraged the public to report criminal activities in their area to the nearest police station to keep their community free from illegal drug activities.
The 13 suspects are now under the custody of the BPPO while the two minors, aged 9 and 11, were released to their relatives.
Regional cops continue to intensify their campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the region following the confiscation of more than P3 million worth of marijuana in March this year.
Through a tip, police confiscated P3,737,500 worth of dried marijuana leaves on March 26 from John Cario Orille Reynera, 19, construction worker, Kerwin Ulanday Ortega, 22, and Angelito Puedan Dilao, 19, all residents of Sampaloc, Manila. The three were on board a Rising Sun Bus, which came from Bontoc and bound for Baguio City, when the vehicle was flagged down by the police. (Roderick Osis)