The Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO-1) confiscated PHP32.1 million worth of illegal drugs and arrested 91 suspects in September this year.
In a statement on Thursday, PRO-1 information office chief Lt. Col. Benigno Sumawang said they launched 82 anti-illegal drugs operations last month.
He said confiscated during the operations include 110,350 marijuana plants, 55,600 marijuana seedlings, 305 grams of dried marijuana leaves, and 1,147.54 grams of shabu.
The latest operation was on September 27, in the village of Telbang, Bayambang town.
Armed with several warrants of arrest, the police nabbed alias “Nakila”, a top drug leader in Pangasinan and who yielded 860 grams of suspected shabu estimated to amount to around PHP5.8 million.
Other major operations include those on September 18 and 19 in Barangay Licungan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.
During the operation on September 18, joint operatives uprooted and burned 10,300 fully grown marijuana plants and 51,600 marijuana seedlings worth PHP4.1 million.
The plants were discovered planted in four sites with a land area 7,000 square meters.
The following day, authorities uprooted and burned 10,050 fully grown marijuana plants valued at PHP2.1 million.
Sumawang said the plants were discovered planted in a 1,550 square meter land.
“PRO-1 director Brig. Gen. Lou Frias Evangelista instructs the police to continue their vigilance against illegal activities. Further, he encourages the community and other agencies to collaborate closely to enhance safety and security in the region,” he said.
The Ilocos police have initiated the Coplan Weedtracker program for eradication of marijuana plantations in the region. (Hilda Austria)
(Source: Philippine News Agency)