Worker arrested on birthday with ₱5M worth of marijuana in Benguet

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — A 21-year-old construction worker was arrested on his birthday after authorities caught him transporting marijuana in Puguis on the evening of 5 November 2026.

Patrolling police officers from the La Trinidad Municipal Police Station spotted two parked vehicles and noticed a man transferring boxes from a larger vehicle into the trunk of a car.

The officers saw a tubular-shaped object inside the containers. Upon noticing the police, the suspect attempted to flee but was apprehended, while the passengers of the larger vehicle managed to escape.

Authorities confiscated approximately 43 kilograms of marijuana valued at more than ₱5 million.

The suspect, a native of Santo Cristo, Guagua, Pampanga, also had two vehicles, vehicle keys, and a wallet containing various identification cards seized by authorities.

The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to face charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.