Philippine police destroy half-million marijuana plants worth over P108 million

Police conducted a sweeping anti-narcotics operation in Barangay Loccong, Tinglayan municipality, this week, destroying illicit cannabis crops spread across 48,500 square meters of cultivated land. The Kalinga Police Provincial Office confirmed the massive haul, estimating the destroyed plants at approximately P108.8 million in street value. The operation targeted seven separate plantation sites operating within the barangay, representing one of the largest single-operation drug crop seizures reported in the Cordillera region in recent months. The discovery underscores persistent challenges authorities face in combating large-scale illegal drug cultivation in remote highland communities, where difficult terrain and limited enforcement resources have historically complicated police operations. Investigators are continuing to pursue leads related to the plantations' operators and supply networks, according to provincial police statements released Thursday.