60 packs of shabu found floating in waters off Ilocos Sur towns

FISHERMEN found 18 more packs of shabu floating in the waters off Magsilang town in Ilocos Sur last Wednesday night, a police official said yesterday.

This brought to 60 packs the total shabu found floating off the province since last Monday, Ilocos Sur Provincial Director Col. Darnell Dulnuan said.

Twenty-four packs were recovered by fishermen off San Juan town last Monday while 18 packs were found by a fisherman off Sta. Maria town last Wednesday morning.

Last Wednesday night, a group of fishermen another 18 packs of shabu some 42 nautical miles from Barangay Puro in Magsilang town, said Dulnuan.

The fishermen promptly turned over the contraband to the Magsingal police station.

Dulnuan could not immediately say the weight of the shabu found in Magsingal, although the 42 other packs earlier recovered weighed one kilo each. A kilo of shabu is worth P6.8 million.

He said the packs found on Wednesday night had Chinese markings, just like the previous packs recovered.

Dulnuan said the PNP is still conducting an investigation as to the origin of the shabu and how they ended up in the waters off Ilocos Sur.

“We still don’t know the real picture,” said Dulnuan, adding there is a possibility they were intentionally left by a vessel to be picked up.

He said it was possible the vessel transporting the shabu figured in a mishap, causing the packs to fall into the waters and subsequently drift near the three towns.

Dulnuan said the PNP has already coordinated with the PNP Maritime Group, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies to search the waters off Ilocos Sur for possible similar shabu packages.

Ilocos region police director Brig. Gen. Lou Evangelista thanked the fishermen for reporting and turning over the recovered contraband to authorities.

“Our investigation is continuing (on the shabu origin) and we are expecting your (residents) continued collaboration and assistance,” said Evangelista.

Police urged Ilocos Sur residents, specifically those living in coastal communities, to remain vigilant and report any suspicious packages or activities in their areas.

Police seized P144,092 worth of suspected dangerous