Fishermen recover floating shabu off Cagayan towns

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines — Two fishermen from Claveria town in Cagayan turned over 45.6 kilos of shabu they found floating off the coast of Barangay Centro 6 on Sunday. The illegal drugs, with an estimated street value of P312.8 million, were packed in 50 plastic tea bags labeled “Daguanyin” and other Chinese character markings.

On Friday, a seaborne patrol operation by Calayan town authorities led to the recovery of at least one kilo of shabu in the waters off Barangay Dilam.

Also on that day, a fisherman and a barangay council member in Sta. Praxedes town fished out a pack of shabu and surrendered it to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officials in Cagayan Valley.

“Local fisherfolk from Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and now Cagayan, who all surrendered their shabu find, are planting the seeds of honesty and integrity in their communities. They have done something good that inspires others to follow suit,” said PDEA director general Isagani Nerez.

“We applaud the integrity of these fishermen. Their courage sets an example for every Filipino. It is clear that public vigilance can be one of our strongest defenses against any evil ploy of drug syndicates,” Nerez added.

Since last week, the total value of shabu found floating off Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte has reached over P8 billion.

Nerez urged citizens to report any suspicious activities and become part of the country’s fight against illegal drugs as law enforcement units intensify surveillance and maritime patrols in Northern Luzon.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Customs intercepted P5.126 million worth of party drugs concealed in a shipment declared as animal food at the Port of Clark.

The bureau said the shipment contained 3,004 pieces of Ecstasy tablets from Paris, France, for delivery to a consignee in Taguig City.