The Philippine National Police ((PNP) has intensified the investigation and intelligence-gathering on some illegal drugs syndicates which reportedly shifted their operations to setting up and cultivating marijuana plants in condominiums.
This, after a marijuana farm was discovered inside a condominium unit in Taguig City when anti-narcotics operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), conducted a buy-bust on a retired US Air Force. They seized some P2.2 million worth of high-grade marijuana from the suspect, who is a Spanish-American, and his live-in partner.
“We need to intensify our intelligence gathering kung ganito na ba ang style ngayon ng mga sindikato ng droga, lalo na sa marijuana. Posibleng may iba na ring gumagawa nito dahil mahirap mahuli kung ganitong nasa loob ng condominium,” said PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar.
Quoting PDEA DIrector General Wilkins Villanueva, Eleazar said the demand for marijuana has actually increased.
“Our PDEA chief, Director General Wilkins Villanueva, also said last year that shabu users have shifted to marijuana and even ecstasy due to our intensified operations na. So our operations will be focused on this, said Eleazar.
He warned that police would be relentless in its efforts to curb the proliferation of marijuana.
Eleazar said that police investigators are determining if the arrested suspects behind the marijuana farm were members of a bigger drug syndicate.
He then vowed to further strengthen the PNP’s partnership and coordination with the PDEA to stop the proliferation of marijuana and other illegal drugs.