PNP probing influx of marijuana in NCR, adjacent provinces 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking at whether marijuana is now being used as an alternative to shabu in Metro Manila and nearby provinces following the recovery of P24 million worth of dried marijuana in Quezon City on Sunday. 

PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Monday said that the 217 blocks of dried marijuana that were confiscated from three high-value targets in Balintawak may have been sourced from the Cordillera Administrative Region.

“We are assessing kung ito ba, ‘yung drugs o marijuana will be used as an alternative for shabu. We are assessing bakit ganito karami at tumaas ang demand ng marijuana sa NCR (National Capital Region) at nearby provinces,” he said in a press briefing. 

(We are assessing if this confiscated marijuna will be used as an alternative to shabu. We are assessing why the volume is this huge and why the demand for maijuana in NCR and nearby provinces has increased.)

He said that the confiscated marijuana was supposed to be delivered to areas in Metro Manila and the Calabarzon and Mimaropa regions.

“We do not know yet kung ano ang relation nito ng (what is the connection with) marijuana. But once we will know, we will make follow-up operations,” he added.

Dianne Cambalicer, Louie Cuerdo and Angelo Pascual were arrested in the marijuana buy-bust operation launched by PDEG in coordination with other operating units of the National Capital Region Police Office and of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

The PNP said the suspects are now in the custody of PDEG Special Operations Unit 3 in Camp Crame. Zac Sarao, trainee

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