Massive Marijuana Plantation Raided in Negros Oriental, Police Seize 8,000 Plants

BAYAWAN CITY, NEGROS ORIENTAL — Police eradicated approximately 8,000 fully grown marijuana plants valued at PHP 1.6 million during a targeted operation Sunday night in the remote village of Manduao.

According to Philippines News Agency, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), the operation was part of an effort to apprehend a wanted individual in the area. Police officers stumbled upon the substantial marijuana cultivation in the sub-village of Santos, Barangay Manduao around 9:15 p.m. while attempting to serve a warrant of arrest. “The discovery was incidental to our primary mission of serving a warrant,” Lt. Polinar explained to the Philippine News Agency.

Following the discovery, all but five of the marijuana plants were destroyed at the site, with the remaining plants taken for laboratory examination and chemical analysis. Efforts are ongoing to identify and locate the owner of the land where the marijuana was planted.

This operation was a segment of the broader Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO) conducted from August 9 to 11, during which police also seized 46.620 grams of suspected shabu worth an estimated PHP 317,000. Over the course of the SACLEO, 14 individuals were apprehended in 15 separate anti-illegal drug operations.

Additionally, more than 1,140 individuals were arrested for various offenses including illegal gambling, violations of local ordinances, and existing warrants for other crimes. These arrests underscore the ongoing efforts by local law enforcement to combat a range of illegal activities in the region.