P11.8 M WORTH OF MARIJUANA SEIZED IN LA UNION

CAMP DIEGO SILANG, La Union -Elements of the La Union police
provincial office here headed by Senior Superintendent Franklin Bucayu
confiscated 475 kilos of hybrid marijuana worth P11.8 million from two
marijuana traders allegedly linked to an international syndicate.

Bucayu reported that the suspects, identified as Felix Chanfing, 34, a
resident of Apunga, Tublay, Benguet and Marcial Paclos, 33, a resident
of Pudoy, Kapangan, Benguet, were allegedly members of a syndicate
financed by a certain Genro Gatlan, of Kapangan town, who is connected
with a drug syndicate operating in Thailand.

The suspects and the marijuana were brought to Camp Crame yesterday
for presentation to the media by PNP chief Director General Arturo
Lomibao.

Bucayu said policemen discovered the marijuana haul at around 6 p.m.
Monday when they apprehended a Toyota Hi-Ace van, with license plate
WLF-551, in a checkpoint along the national highway in Poblacion,
Rosario, La Union.

Bucayu ordered the vehicle apprehended when he received intelligence
information that the suspects, who came from Baguio City, were about
to deliver the marijuana to Manila for shipment to Thailand.

He said the 475 marijuana bricks, which weigh one kilo each, were
placed in 19 traveling bags.

Superintendent Sterling Raymund Blanco, chief intelligence officer,
told The STAR that the marijuana bricks sealed with plastic.

Blanco said they also found inside the bags several documents and
pictures of prominent personalities in Thailand which they suspect to
be the recipients of package.

Blanco said they had coordinated with the Benguet police office to
check the illegal operations of the suspects, particularly their the
shipments to other countries.

Suspects are temporarily detained at the Rosario Municipal Jail for
violations of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug
Act of 2002.