By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have destroyed two plantations and uprooted PHP10.3 million worth of marijuana plants in an inter-agency law enforcement operation in the province of Sulu, officials said Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Alaric Avelino Delos Santos, commander of the Army’s 1102nd Infantry Brigade (1102Bde), said the two marijuana plantations were destroyed on Tuesday in Barangay Masjid Punjungan of Kalingalan Caluang town.
“The first site, measuring about 1,000 square meters, contained 5,500 fully grown marijuana plants, while the second site, covering 2,000 square meters, yielded 6,000 plants,” Delos Santos said in his report.
“In total, 11,500 fully grown marijuana plants were discovered and destroyed across 3,000 square meters, with an estimated value of PHP10,350,000.”
Delos Santos said the marijuana plants were uprooted and burned on site by joint operatives of the 1102Bde, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Sulu and police forces.
The PDEA is currently conducting an investigation to identify the owner or owners of the two destroyed marijuana plantations.
Delos Santos commended the strong inter-agency collaboration that led to the successful destruction of the marijuana plantations.
Tuesday’s destruction of the two marijuana plantations in Kalingalan Caluang town was the second for this year.
On Feb. 13, some PHP18.2 million marijuana plants were also destroyed at two plantations in the villages of Masjid Punjungan and Pitogo, both in Kalingalan Caluang town. (PNA)
