P14.3M worth of marijuana uprooted, burned by police in Danao City
Danao City Police uprooted and burned P14.3 million worth of marijuana plants after a massive operation done in two barangays on Tuesday, August 13, 2019. | photo curtesy of Danao City Police
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Danao City Police uprooted and burned P14.3 million worth of marijuana plants after a massive operation done on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, in this northern city of Cebu.
In a report furnished to the media on Wednesday morning, August 14, 2019, the Danao City Police said that, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), they were able to track down marijuana plantations in Barangay Licos and Barangay Langosig.
In Barangay Licos, the police and PDEA-7 found 500 square meters of planted marijuana around 7:30 a.m. of Tuesday.
More than 10,000 marijuana plants, with an estimated value of P4.1 million, were uprooted, while 4,000 seedling, with an estimated value of P160,000, were also found.
Four men were arrested in the operation in Licos. They were the suspected farmers and distributors of the plant, which is considered illegal in the Philippines.
Those arrested were identified by the police as Benjie Salde Depositario 34, Inocentes Juntilla Depositario 59, Berting Salde Depositario, 27, and Melvin Salde Depositario, 30.
Also confiscated from them was a .45 caliber pistol with 5 live ammunition.
The plantation in Barangay Langosig was bigger, covering an area of almost one hectare. The police conducted the operation an hour after the Licos raid.
The police said that 25,000 marijuana plants, worth an estimated P10 million, were found in the area.
Two suspects were arrested for farming the illegal plant in the lot. These are Jay Basalo Acidillo and Jhosar Basalo Acidillo, both in the police and PDEA’s watchlist.
Two more suspects, Genesis Jaime and Wendel Jaime, were able to escape arrest. Danao Police is currently conducting a hot pursuit for the two.
In total, the two operations collected 35,850 fully grown marijuana, 4,000 seedlings, and 38,000 marijuana stalks, with a total value of P14.3 million.
The Danao City Police burned down the marijuana haul with Danao City Mayor Ramon Durano, III, leading the ceremonial burning in Barangay Lawaan, on Tuesday afternoon.
Durano congratulated the police and the PDEA-7 for their accomplishment. /bmjo
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