KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/09 November) – Authorities raided a marijuana plantation Thursday in a remote village in Magpet, North Cotabato, leading to the arrest of two persons, a police official said.
Sr. Insp. Sunny Leoncito, Magpet police chief, said they uprooted at least 450 marijuana plants in Barangay Salab, following a tip from village officials.
Nabbed in the marijuana plantation was the caretaker, John Paul Artinero, 20, a farmer, who admitted during interrogation that he planted the illegal plants, said Leoncito.
Barangay Salab officials led by chairman Ferdinand Cariaga joined the police during the anti-illegal drug raid at around 7 a.m. Thursday.
Leoncito said the suspect pointed to Alex Abbas of Kidapawan City as the source of the marijuana seedlings.
Abbas was arrested in a follow-up operation and seized from him were dried marijuana leaves and a fragmentation grenade, the police official said.
Leoncio said they would charged today (Friday) Artinero and Abbas with violation of the Comprehensive Drugs Act.
Abbas would also be charged with illegal possession of explosive, Leoncio added.
The uprooted marijuana plants were turned over to the Police Provincial Crime Laboratory in this city. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)
