MANILA, Philippines — Authorities seized approximately P800,000 worth of marijuana leaves and oil in separate operations on Wednesday.
In Quezon City, 20 kilos of marijuana bricks with an estimated street value of P500,000 were seized from three persons – all in their early 20s – during a raid on a house along Quirino Highway in Barangay Balonbato at around 9 p.m.
A police officer was allegedly able to buy marijuana from Christian Uchi, 23, before they raided the house where Neildrin Manarang, 22, and Janine Cajeas, 21, were allegedly caught repacking the illegal drug, Superintendent Carlito Grijaldo said.
The suspects were mum on how long they have been in the illegal drug trade and where they sourced the marijuana, he added.
Grijaldo said they have been monitoring the suspects for weeks after confirming they were operating in Caloocan and Quezon City.
Meanwhile, 14 other drug suspects were arrested in separate operations in Barangays Baesa, Unang Sigaw, Marilag and Don Manuel since Wednesday.
Drug package
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) arrested a man who claimed a parcel containing two pouches, in which marijuana oil was hidden, at the Central Mail Exchange Center at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Wednesday afternoon.
BOC-NAIA district collector Vincent Philips Maronilla identified the claimant as Beau Aldrich Siquian of Barangay Plainview, Mandaluyong City.
Upon inspection, the other pouch inside the parcel was addressed to Gian Carlo Santos of Baguio City.
The parcel, which arrived on Feb. 26, came from Jonjon Pulido of Carson, California, who declared the contents as an electrical pen set and ink wax with a value of $300.
The BOC said the seized marijuana oil was approximately P360,000 in street value.
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