TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- Police Regional Office 02 (PRO2) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 02 confirmed on Tuesday night, February 6, that the 18 packs of plastic inside a container floating at sea near Divilacan, Isabela were cocaine.
In a press conference, PRO2 Director Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino said the recovered items were similar to the ones police found in Matnog, Sorsogon this January.
The packs were sealed-tight with the same “R” markings and were hidden inside a blue container, Espino added.
PDEA said the cocaine packs weighted a total of 18 kilograms and were valued at an estimated P79 million.
Divilacan Police chief Senior Inspector Jonathan Ramos said the container was found by local fishermen in Barangay Dipudo at around 2 PM on Monday, February 5. Police immediately flew to PRO2’s crime lab for examination on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, PDEA 02 said the shipment was part of a previously-intercepted cargo vessel which came from South America and was intended for Hong Kong. They said the container has been floating since 2010.
Espino added that the Philippines has no cocaine labs and that the country cannot process cocaine.
He said the packs of cocaine are “dangerous” considering the possible chemical reactions that occurred in its long time afloat the sea.
The PRO2 chief said similar containers may still be floating at sea. He asked the public at coastal towns to report to the police if they have found similar items. Northernforum.net
