Cops destroy marijuana plants in La Union

CAMP DIEGO SILANG, La Union – Police operatives here destroyed on Friday P30 million worth of fully-grown marijuana plants that were uprooted along the tri-boundary of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Benguet.

Superintendent Jaquilino Lagiwid, chief of the provincial intelligence branch, who was still on the site along with his troops as of press time, reported to Senior Superintendent Noli Taliño, La Union police director, that the marijuana eradication campaign successfully resulted to the discovery of some 150,000 marijuana plants.

Lagiwid said the marijuana were found in three plantation sites covering at least a hectare of land along the disputed boundary of Santol, La Union, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, and Kibungan, Benguet. 

Taliño said the campaign against marijuana and illegal drug eradication was intensified last week after the creation of “Oplan Harvester” based on the directive of Ilocos police director Chief Superintendent Romeo Hilomen.

Lagiwid serves as case officer of Oplan harvester.

Lagiwid, along with his troop from the provincial anti-illegal drug special operations task group, provincial mobile group, (PMG), Santol police station, Regional Intelligence Division, and Regional Mobile group, conducted a three-day uprooting operation, Tuesday until Wednesday.

The operation, which included the conduct of Internal Security Operations, was supervised by personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. – Jun Elias