Marijuana nursery found in Marikina; couple, son nabbed

HOMEGROWN National Capital Region Police Office chief Guillermo Eleazar (right) and Eastern Police District chief Reynaldo Biay show potted marijuana plants.—NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

The Marikina City Police arrested on Thursday evening a live-in couple and their 17-year-old son after selling marijuana to a policeman and maintaining a marijuana nursery inside their house.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Supt. Reynaldo Biay said suspects Miguel Joseph Arias and Danica Joyce Tapar and the minor were arrested in a buy-bust operation on Champagne Street in SSS Village in Barangay Concepcion Dos in Marikina around 10 p.m.

Tip from informant

Marikina Police chief Senior Supt. Roger Quesada said the three were arrested after selling a sachet of dried marijuana leaves to a policeman who posed as buyer.

The arrest was based on a tip from an informant, Quesada said.

Police also seized 800 grams of suspected marijuana leaves with fruiting tops, 31 pots of grown marijuana plants, three medium-sized pots of grown marijuana,  small glasses of grown marijuana, three jars containing dried marijuana leaves, a digital weighing scale and a plastic sealer.

Air-conditioned

The marijuana nursery is air-conditioned and well-lighted, Quesada said.

The EPD estimated the recovered illegal drugs items to be around P4 million with plants’ worth pegged at around P3 million and the dried leaves are worth around P800,000, Quesada told the Inquirer.

The police chief said they were looking into the possibility that the busted mariuana  nursery could also be one of the sources of marijuana being sold in a vape shop busted two months ago.

The suspects were charged with violations of sections 11 and 5 of Republic Act No.  9165.

The police have already turned over the minor to Marikina City Social Welfare department.

The couple’s youngest child, 9, was left alone after the arrest of the three.