BAGUIO CITY — A P72-million worth of illegal cannabis plantation was discovered tucked in a mountain location along Kennon Road in sitio Sangilo in Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet over the weekend.
The discovery of the plantation comes after the operation at the heels of a 60-kilo marijuana sting on March 20 that confirmed the marijuana bulk did not come all the way from Kibungan in Benguet, but way closer at sitio Sangilo, barangay Camp 4, Tuba.
Anti-narcotics operatives from the Tuba police, provincial drug enforcement unit of the Benguet police, PDEA-Benguet and joined in by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation-Cordillera, on a three-hour uphill mountain trek to the location discovered the plantation. They seized at least 600 kilos of dried marijuana with stalks and fruiting tops bundled into 12 oversized chute sacks and covered with plastic sheets.
Tuba police already knew who the four cultivators are, but has withheld their identities to journalists.
The owner of the lot, whose name was also withheld, reportedly told authorities that a group from Kibungan, Benguet rented out his land but did not know they were planting marijuana.
Authorities vouched that the land owner will cooperate to become a state witness against the four who will be facing drug cases, particularly for cultivating marijuana.