By JEL SANTOS, MADELYNNE DOMINGUEZ
Police discovered a mini marijuana plantation inside the house of a couple who were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Marikina City, Thursday night.
The entrapment operation led to the confiscation of around P4 million worth of marijuana.
Chief Supt. Reynaldo Biay, Eastern Police District (EPD) director said live-in partners Joseph Arias and Danica Joyce Tapar were nabbed along with Arias’ 17-year-old brother.
According to Senior Supt. Roger Quesada, Marikina City police chief, members of the EPD and Special Drug Enforcement Unit launched a sting against the suspects at their residence at No. 22 Champagne Street, SSS Village, Barangay Concepcion Dos, Marikina City.
Arias was arrested after he accepted the marked money from a cop who posed as a buyer at around 10 p.m., Thursday.
Police said they discovered over 30 pots with full-grown marijuana plants inside the couple’s fully air-conditioned room with UV light, insulated walls, and water connection.
They also seized from the suspects 800 grams of suspected marijuana leaves with fruiting tops, one plastic sealer, dried marijuana leaves, a digital weighing scale, and two P500 bills used as buy-bust money.
Police said the three suspects were brought to EPD PNP Crime Laboratory for drug test.
Arias admitted selling marijuana and that he learned how to plant them through the Internet.
His live-in partner admitted that they maintain a marijuana plantation inside their house but denied selling the prohibited plant.
The live-in partners are facing cases for violation of Republic Act 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act).
The young suspect was turned over to the local Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
