By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
Authorities in the Philippines seized marijuana worth $1.35 million following raids on farms on the northern island of Luzon, local media reported on Friday.
Narcotic agents and police destroyed a haul, valued at 60 million pesos, found on five farms around Sugpon, Ilocos Sur province.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Ch. Insp. Edgar Apalla told GMA News that 240,000 marijuana plants, 10,000 seedlings, 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of seeds and 100 kg of dried marijuana was discovered.
"It was a big destruction,” he said. “It is our operational thrust to destroy [marijuana] before it reaches the illegal drug market.”
Recent raids on marijuana farms have shown links to the Abu Sayyaf insurgent group in the south and the Communist New People's Army in the north. Both groups are alleged to partly fund their armed campaigns through drug dealing.
