Police seized suspected marijuana from a motorcycle rider during a routine checkpoint operation in Naguilian, La Union late Thursday night, 30 July, extending into the early hours of Friday, 31 July.

According to the Naguilian Municipal Police Station, officers were conducting a scheduled checkpoint along the National Highway in Barangay Natividad from around 10:30 p.m. until 12:10 a.m. when they noticed a motorcycle approaching from Aglipay Street.

The motorcycle was driven by a 22-year-old resident of Naguilian with a 25-year-old resident of the same town riding as a passenger. Police said both men were allegedly not wearing the required protective motorcycle helmets and high-visibility reflective vests.

Authorities said the motorcycle stopped several meters before reaching the checkpoint. As officers approached to issue citations for the reported traffic violations, they allegedly saw the driver pull an object from his waist, place it on the ground, and step on it in an apparent attempt to conceal it.

The officers inspected the item and reportedly recovered an opened piece of paper containing suspected dried marijuana leaves with fruiting tops.

The suspected illegal drugs were confiscated for documentation and appropriate legal proceedings.

Police have yet to disclose the weight of the suspected marijuana or the specific charges to be filed against the individuals. The seized substance will undergo laboratory examination to confirm its contents.