P4-M Worth Of Marijuana Goes Up In Smoke In

SirBlazinBowl

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The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency torched some P4-million marijuana plants before the students and local officials in T'boli, South Cotabato, as part of its drive against dangerous drugs in Central Mindanao.

Senior Insp. Sherwin Maglana, T'boli police chief, said the narcotic plants were part of the million-peso cache seized by joint elements of the agency, local police, Philippine Army's 57th Infantry Battalion and the 205th police provincial mobile group in the hinterland of Sitio Dolay, Barangay Tadok, last week. "We stored the remaining 12 sacks of the confiscated weeds to be used as evidence in the court against the suspects," said Maglana, who declined to identify the marijuana planters and protectors, since a massive manhunt operation is under way. Law enforcers however failed to arrest well-armed marijuana growers believed to be renegade militia members of the Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit.

The raid destroyed some 600 fully grown marijuana plants, the destruction of about 200 seedlings and the seizure of 60 kilos of marijuana seeds. This is the second-biggest haul of the agency after the assumption of office of its new regional director, Chief Insp. Jessie Estrada on March 10. Estrada took over the command from then PDEA regional director for Central Mindanao, Senior Supt. Efren Alquizar, who was killed in an accident. Estrada's first hit was the seizure and subsequent destruction of a marijuana plantation at a remote village in Tampacan.

The raid led to the confiscation of some 3, 000 fully grown marijuana plants, amounting to P3.4 million. Mayor Ernesto B. Manuel said Wednesday that he will allocate funds next year to search the mountainous portion of T'boli, one of the largest sources and producers of marijuana plants in Central Mindanao owing to its cool, relatively storm-free weather. Before Manuel's assumption as municipal mayor in June 2003, government troops had uprooted three truckloads of marijuana leaves in Barangay Tadok, a known haven of outlaws in this region. "I will reward those who tip me the location of any marijuana plantation and the complete identity of those people behind this drug trade operation," Manuel said.

The agency is focusing on isolated areas, such as the triangular boundaries of the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani and Davao Del Sur, where drug traders have converted their business from methamphetamine hydrochloride ( shabu ) production to marijuana cultivation.

Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl - 420Times.com
Source: Manila Times (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005, The Manila Times
Contact: newsboy1@manilatimes.net
Website: News | Opinion | Philippines | Asia | World
Author: Isagani P. Palma
 
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