KALINGA and BENGUET – The Cordillera police made significant strides in the battle against illegal drugs, apprehending a drug personality and confiscating a staggering PhP20,600,000.00 worth of marijuana in two separate operations on October 23, 2023.
In the province of Kalinga, a joint task force comprising the Kalinga Police Provincial Office, Regional Intelligence Division, and Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15 launched a hot pursuit operation.
It followed the evasion of a vehicle at a checkpoint in Sitio Dinakan, Brgy. Dangoy, Lubuagan, Kalinga.
Their efforts led to the arrest of Benjamin Fajardo Bauto in Brgy. Callanan, Tabuk City.
Inside his vehicle, authorities found 156 kilograms of marijuana bricks and 10 kilograms of vacuum-sealed tubes containing marijuana leaves and stalks, totaling an estimated Standard Drug Price (SDP) of PhP19,920,000.00.
Bauto is now in custody at the Tabuk City Police Station, and charges for violating Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared against him.
Meanwhile, in Benguet, law enforcement discovered and destroyed a total of 400 fully grown marijuana plants and 5 kilograms of dried marijuana stalks with fruiting tops, with an estimated overall SDP of Php 680,000.00.
These substances were found at Sitio Mocgao, Kibungan, Benguet.
The Kibungan Municipal Police Station reported that two marijuana plantation sites were identified in the area.
All the discovered marijuana plants were uprooted and burned on-site, while ongoing investigations aim to identify potential cultivators of these illegal crops.
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