Benguet raids net P260 M worth of marijuana

Kibungan, Benguet, Philippines – Government forces swooped down on at least 51 marijuana plantations in Benguet last week in one of their most intensive operations this year, as the marijuana harvest season peaks this summer.

The raids, jointly conducted by regional elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the police and Philippine Air Force, resulted in the burning of more than P260 million worth of marijuana plants, seeds, stalks and seedlings.

“The marijuana harvest season is peaking now,” said PDEA-Cordillera director Gil Castro, “hence, we hatched a major offensive in coordination with the NBI, PNP, and the military, which turned very successful.”

In a three-day operation starting April 17, the raiding teams swooped down on 51 marijuana plantations, with a total area of 25,622 square meters, in the barangays of Kayapa and Legab in Bakun town, and Tacadang and Badeo in Kibungan town, all in Benguet.

The raids yielded 503,214 fully grown marijuana plants, 16,000 grams of dried marijuana leaves, 44,500 marijuana seedlings, 100 grams of marijuana seeds, and 25,300 grams of marijuana stalks.