Cops raid plantation, seize marijuana plants in N. Cotabato

COTABATO CITY – Acting on a tip from local residents, police and anti-narcotics operatives raided on Sunday a marijuana plantation in Carmen, North Cotabato and uprooted some 1,200 marijuana plants.

Chief Inspector April Lou Palma, Carmen town police chief, said Monday that about 400 seedlings were also recovered at the site.

In his report to Senior Supt. Maximo Layugan, North Cotabato police director, Palma said the plantation was found in the remote sitio of Sambayangan in Tupig, Carmen town.

“We received reports from residents and local officials about the existence of marijuana plantation so we quickly acted on it,” Palma said in a statement.

Backed by soldiers from the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade and 7th Infantry Battalion, the raiding team failed to find the plantation owner or caretaker identified as Mustapa Mundas and Abusama Panalangin.

Palma said the seized marijuana plants have an estimated street value of PHP250,000. She said some of the uprooted plants were burned at the plantation site while some were taken as court evidence.

Layugan has earlier directed all other police chiefs across the province to intensify their campaign against marijuana, after receiving reports there are other existing marijuana plantations in the province. (PNA)