Combined police and army operatives swooped down on a suspected marijuana plantation at a far-flung area in Tayasan, Oriental Negros, Saturday morning and apprehended four persons for allegedly planting and growing the illegal drug.

The team, led by PNP provincial director Melvin Ramon Buenafe, uprooted and confiscated 47 full-grown marijuana plants and seedlings, during a raid in Barangay Dalaupon, a mountainous and remote area, about 20 kilometers from the Tayasan town proper. They also seized a full plastic bag of newly-harvested marijuana flower buds with leaves and a coin box containing dried marijuana leaves and seeds from Rengi de la Zerna, Roline Espraguera, Romnick Callao and Ronualdo Gador, all of Dalaupon.

Buenafe said a case for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, specifically for the cultivation of marijuana, will be filed in court against the suspects.

The raiding team was composed of elements from the Negros Oriental provincial police office, 705th Provincial Mobile Groups, Ayungon police station and the 61st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. *JG

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