(File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said its main anti-drug unit is working with local government units in stemming the propagation of marijuana plantations in their areas.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, chief of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, said they are coordinating with local chief executives for the spraying of chemicals on plantation sites that have been raided by law enforcement agencies to ensure that seedlings planted on these grounds will no longer grow.
This came as authorities destroyed PHP10 million worth of fully grown marijuana plants in Lanao del Sur, the biggest so far during this month's simultaneous operations.
Domingo said they have observed that the cultivation of marijuana in areas they have raided "have been accurately chronic".
During the seven-day Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO) from Sept. 12-18, the PNP conducted 73 operations comprising 14 buy-bust operations, 48 operations for the serving of warrants of arrests, five search warrants, and five marijuana eradications which resulted in the arrest of 81 suspects.
These operations resulted in the seizure of 61,495 grams of shabu and 720,000 pieces of marijuana plants, with an estimated standard drug price of PHP562 million.
“Tulong-tulong tayo sa pagsugpo ng iligal na droga sa bansa, kung kayat, ang inyong kapulisan ay patuloy na magmamalasakit sa ating mamamayan na mapanatili ang kaayusan at kapayapaan sa ating kapaligiran tungo sa kaunlaran ng ating bayan (Let's help each other in suppressing illegal drugs in the country, that’s why your police will continue to care for our people to maintain order and peace in our environment towards the development of our people),” Domingo said. (PNA)
