CEBU CITY – Police have seized marijuana and suspected shabu valued at more than P16 million in separate operations in Cebu.
At least 10,000 fully-grown marijuana plants with an estimated value of P4 million were uprooted in Barangay Captain Claudio, Toledo City, Cebu.
Operatives of the Toledo police station arrested Elmer Cantutay Jr., the alleged cultivator of the marijuana plantation in Sitio Himatogan.
Police Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, chief of the Toledo police, said it took at least two weeks of surveillance before the plantation was discovered. Rafter said several marijuana plantations have been uncovered in the same area in the past.
The discovery of the plantation allegedly owned by Cantutay came after a concerned citizen tipped off the police. Rafter said Cantutay owns a big house near the plantation.
Police immediately destroyed the uprooted marijuana by setting them on fire in the area.
Meanwhile, more than P12 million worth of suspected shabu was seized in separate operations here.
In Barangay Mambaling, P11.3 million of suspected shabu was seized from Richard Barbosa, a taxi driver. Barbosa is considered a high-value target but police are still investigating to find out where he got his supply of illegal drugs.
Another buy-bust operation in Barangay Labangon led to the arrest of a man and woman who yielded suspected shabu worth P1.2 million.
Wenniel Lumactod and Cristina Echavarria were caught possessing 180 grams of shabu, police said.
The arrests were part of the Cebu City Police Office’s simultaneous anti-illegal operations dubbed as synchronized enhanced managing police operation over the weekend.
A total of 30 arrest warrants were implemented that led to the arrests of 29 persons. Most of the arrested persons are facing drug charges, police said. (Calvin D. Cordova)
