THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed a vessel, two high-speed response boats and an aerial drone to help in the recovery of shabu that might still be floating in the waters off Pangasinan.
In a statement, the PCG yesterday said the deployment was based on the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after fishermen recovered nearly a ton of shabu inside sacks in the province and Ilocos Sur from June 5 to 8.
“Upon the directive of President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr., the Philippine Coast Guard deployed BRP Cabra and two high-speed response boats to intensify maritime patrol operations in the vicinity waters,” the PCG said.
“Aerial drone surveillance was also conducted to locate and recover more sacks of contraband believed to still be adrift,” the PCG added.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) spokesman Joseph Frederick Calulut said fishermen have recovered a total of 1,013 kilos of shabu worth around P6.88 billion as of last Sunday.
Calulut said the last recovery was made last Sunday in Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur and in Bolinao, Pangasinan.
“We will not halt our recovery efforts until every sack is secured. The Ilocos region must not be allowed to become a corridor for transnational crimes. We will not let these criminal elements further endanger the lives of fellow Filipinos,” said Coast Guard District Northwestern Luzon commander Capt. Mark Larsen Mariano.
Mariano expressed gratitude to the local fishermen for the recovery and turnover of the shabu to the authorities.
“You are the real heroes. Without your vigilance and assistance, securing this quantity of illegal drugs would not have been possible,” said Mariano.
The PCG said “maritime patrols and aerial surveillance in the region remain active as authorities aim to complete the recovery operation and prevent further infiltration of illegal drugs via Philippine waters.”
Calulut said the illegal drugs may have been dropped by drug syndicates in the waters off Pangasinan, expecting that they will be recovered by their local contacts.
Due to bad weather and the intensified PCG and Navy patrols in the area, Calulut said the local contacts failed to recover the shabu.
“These were later recovered by the fishermen. That’s the scenario we’re seeing. These syndicates usually drop these (drugs) into the waters so they can be recovered by their contacts,” said Calulut.
Asked if the shabu was intended for the Philippine market, Calulut said: “Given the large quantity, not all is for the Philippines. Part of it is intended here but the rest, they’re going to ship it to other countries. In short, we’re just the transhipment point.”
PASIG SEIZURE
Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized 120 kilos of shabu valued at P816 million in a cargo warehouse in Pasig City last Sunday.
In a statement, PDEA said the parcels of drugs came from multiple addresses in California, USA, and were addressed to multiple consignees in the cities of Taguig, Pasig and Makati.
PDEA said the shabu was seized during an interdiction operation at around 2 p.m. in coordination with the Eastern Police District-Drug Enforcement Unit and the Pasig City police station.
“Drug traffickers once again employed deceptive packaging strategies, smuggling illegal drugs under the guise of snack shipments,” PDEA said. “Each box contained vacuum-sealed, transparent plastic packets filled with white crystalline substances.”
No one was arrested during the operation, PDEA said, but added this has “laid the groundwork for an ongoing and broader investigation.
“All evidence has been forwarded to the PDEA Laboratory Service for confirmatory analysis, with case documentation and legal procedures currently underway,” PDEA said.
It said the operation underscores the commitment of PDEA “to defend the nation’s borders against transnational drug syndicates.”
It said this is also aligned with President Marcos Jr.’s directive about the “need for intensified border control and interdiction efforts at all ports of entry.”
“This interdiction success is a product of strong collaboration between PDEA and our law enforcement partners,” said PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez.
“Our presence in major airports, seaports, and cargo facilities is not just necessary—it is imperative,” added Nerez.
