A transparent plastic sack containing 24 packs of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu was found floating by fishermen around 27 nautical miles off the coast of San Juan town in Ilocos Sur on Monday afternoon.
Police Maj. Benjamin Raquedan, town police chief, confirmed this in a media interview on Tuesday following the release of a forensic examination by the Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Forensic Unit.
Based on the police report, fishermen Christopher Remolacio Villaspir, 38; and Vincent Vivit Pascua, 42, both of Barangay Solotsolot, were on their way home on board a motorized banca when they noticed the floating plastic container attached to a round wood.
“Out of curiosity, they picked it up and turned over the suspicious packs of white crystalline substance to local authorities,” Raquedan said, adding that the plastic sack and the packages bore Chinese markings.
He said an investigation is underway to determine the source of the contraband which weighed 23.9 kilos valued at PHP167.43 million.
In a statement, Police Regional Office 1 regional director Brig. Gen. Lou Evangelista thanked the locals for immediately reporting the recovery, saying prompt action is vital in the efforts to combat illegal drugs.
“We encourage everyone, especially those living along coastlines, to report any similar findings to their nearest police stations immediately,” he said. (Leilanie Adriano via Philippine News Agency)