MARIJUANA PLANTATION. Policemen destroy a marijuana plantation in Barangay Bato-Bato, Maguing, Lanao del Sur on Friday (Feb. 17, 2023). Some 25,000 fully grown marijuana plants worth PHP5 million were uprooted and burned by the police raiding team. (Photo courtesy of Area Police Command-Western Mindanao)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have destroyed some PHP5 million worth of fully grown marijuana plants in a remote village in Lanao del Sur, a top police official said Friday.
Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said the marijuana plantation was discovered in Barangay Bato-Bato, Maguing town.
No one was arrested as the cultivator, identified only as Tacmar, was not around when policemen swooped down on the plantation.
Members of the raiding team have uprooted and burned some 25,000 fully grown marijuana plants planted in a 5,000-square-meter lot.
Verceles said the existence of the marijuana plantation was uncovered based on information provided to the police by an informant.
He said the policemen also sprayed herbicide on the plantation site making it unsuitable for planting crops, specifically marijuana.
Last week, the police arrested two suspected big-time drug traders at a checkpoint operation in the same village.
Seized from them were some 125 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP850,000. (PNA)
