ENRILE, Cagayan, Feb. 9 (PIA) — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) has strengthened their joint forces in running after illegal drugs in the province.

In a buy-bust operation, elements of the Enrile Police Station and PDEA agents successfully arrested one suspect in the act of selling dried marijuana bricks at Barangay Liwan, this town this morning.

Senior Inspector Ramon Macarubbo Jr., chief of police, said they conducted the operation after receiving information that several bricks of dried marijuana leaves from Rizal, Kalinga were being transported to Cagayan province.

In the operation, PDEA agents and the police arrested a 27-year-old male, resident of Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga. The mother and father of the suspect were able to elude the authorities during the operation.

The 50 pieces of dried marijuana bricks, which could be sold at P50,000 had been turned over to the PNP crime laboratory for further investigation and proper disposition.

PDEA Agent Giovanni Alan said the operation is part of the agency’s thrust of looking into big-time dealers, productions, and the sources of illegal drugs to eliminate drug problems in the province.

Alan believes that selling of marijuana bricks, in ths instace, is a family business since the suspects have costumers in Tuguegagrao City and Manila. He also said the marijuana items came from a plantation site in Tinglayan, Kalinga province.

With this, both agencies said they will strengthen more their anti-drug abuse program by penetrating barangay levels and by educating students on the consequences of using and pushing illegal drugs.

Macarubbo also said they will strengthen their checkpoint activities to ensure no illegal drugs enter the province.