Navy seizes P10 billion shabu haul off Zambales coast

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy announced the seizure of some 1.5 tons of suspected shabu – believed to be worth P10 billion – off the coast of Zambales early yesterday morning.

There is no information yet if arrests have been made, but according to the Northern Luzon Naval Command (NLVC), the boat caught transporting the illegal substance, also known as methamphetamine hydrochloride, had one foreign national and at least four Filipino fishermen on board.

Navy spokesman Capt. John Percie Alcos said the case build-up and successful operation were conducted in cooperation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Citing initial information, Alcos said the Philippine Navy, through the NLVC, seized the suspected shabu shipment being transported by a fishing vessel at around 1:30 a.m.

“The apprehended illegal substance is currently on its way to Naval Operating Base-Subic for documentation and turnover to proper authorities,” the spokesman said.

“This is one of the largest illegal drug apprehensions in the history of the Philippine Navy in support of the national government’s campaign against prohibited substances,” he noted.

Alcos said the Philippine Navy will release more information about the operation and seizure of the shabu shipment once more details are available.

NLVC commander Commodore Edward Ike de Sagon told reporters the suspected shabu was seized from a fishing vessel some 50 to 60 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.

De Sagon noted that there is no information yet as to where the shabu came from or what larger vessel transferred it to the fishing boat, and where it was being transported to.

Acting on information about the suspicious movements of the fishing vessel, the Philippine Navy and NLVC were able to intercept the shipment.

De Sagon said the fishing vessel was suspiciously in an area away from other fishing boats, prompting the Philippine Navy to send gunboats to check on the vessel.

He pointed out that several days ago, the Philippine Navy also played a part in the “recovery of some illegal drugs up north” and they “began to be more vigilant because of that incident.”

De Sagon said details about the crew and other information will have to wait, as PDEA, the lead agency, conducts its investigation when the boat arrives in Subic.

Shabu found in Cavite

In Naic, Cavite, a security guard found 30 kilos of shabu, with a street value of P204 million, in an abandoned suitcase yesterday.

The suitcase was found along Friendship Road in Barangay Sabang at around 2:10 a.m., according to Capt. Michelle Bastawang, Cavite police spokesperson.

The security guard, who was stationed at a vacant lot, alerted police officers on routine patrol in the area about a green suitcase he found at the roadside.

When police officers opened the travel bag, they found 30 sealed packs of shabu.

Police are reviewing footage from a surveillance camera installed nearby for leads.

According to investigators, the suitcase appeared to have been dropped off for pickup by an accomplice.

Meanwhile, around 93 grams of shabu worth P632,400 were seized in a sting operation in Dasmariñas City on Thursday night.

Four people, whom police identified only as Bato, Darna, Sadiq and Zahur, were arrested in the operation at Barangay Burol I.

The entrapment occurred at around 8:20 p.m. when the suspects negotiated with police officers posing as drug buyers for the shabu sale.

The suspects are being held on drug trafficking complaints.

in Parañaque on Thursday, around 80 grams of shabu worth P544,000 were seized by anti-narcotics police officers in a sting operation.

The illegal drugs were recovered from a 21-year-old suspected shabu dealer known only as “Jose,” Southern Police District director Brig. Gen. Randy Arceo said.

Arceo said the suspect was collared in Barangay San Isidro at around 9 p.m.

Jose allegedly handed over three sachets of shabu to an undercover police officer in exchange for money.

The suspect is facing criminal complaints for drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) uncovered several abandoned inbound parcels containing an estimated P16.3 million worth of illegal drugs at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.

The BOC said at least 3,025 grams of Ketamine, valued at P15.125 million, and 858 grams of high-grade marijuana or kush worth P1.2 million, were confiscated by operatives from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group and PDEA.

The bureau said one parcel from the United States contained 240 grams of kush and another from Thailand with 618 grams of kush. The parcels were both concealed in boxes.

A parcel from Poland, which contained five plastic bags of Ketamine, were placed inside a coffeemaker.

The parcels – deemed abandoned as no one claimed them within the 30-day reglementary period – underwent routine x-ray scans, wherein suspicious images were flagged, prompting authorities to do immediate K9 paneling and manual inspection, which led to the discovery of the illegal substances hidden within the packages.

According to the BOC, the parcels were turned over to the PDEA on Thursday.

Customs District Collector Yasmin Mapa emphasized the critical role of intelligence and collaboration in seizing contraband.

“These operations reflect our commitment to proactive enforcement and coordination with our law enforcement counterparts in stopping illegal drugs at the border,” Mapa said.

An investigation is ongoing to hunt down the persons who attempted to smuggle the illegal drugs into the country. — Emmanuel Tupas, Ed Amoroso, Bella Cariaso, Rudy Santos