PRIZED CATCH: Recovered floating shabu now worth more than P6 billion

National

AUTHORITIES continued to recover more shabu in the coasts of Pangasinan and Bataan.

As of Sunday, June 8, the value of shabu found floating in Philippine waters has surpassed the P6-billion mark, a report by Philstar stated.

The report said that law enforcers had already recovered 1,013 one-kilo packs of the illegal substance.

Initial investigations showed that an international drug syndicate may have dumped the drugs at sea for later retrieval by local contacts. The plan, however, was disrupted when vigilant local fishermen reported the suspicious cargo, prompting a swift and coordinated response from authorities.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) immediately mobilized its BRP Cabra vessel along with two high-speed response boats to secure the area. In addition, aerial surveillance using drones was deployed to help locate any remaining sacks that might still be adrift.

Efforts on the ground have been closely coordinated by PDEA with the PCG, Philippine Navy, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and various local government units. Their joint recovery operations underscore the nation’s strong stance against transnational drug trafficking that exploits the country's wide coastal waters.

“You are the real heroes. Without your vigilance and assistance, securing this quantity of illegal drugs would not have been possible,” said Capt. Mark Larsen Mariano, the PCG’s Northwestern Luzon District Commander, addressing the fishermen who helped report the discovery.(Fremelyn Bance, PIT Comm Intern)