PDEA: Block fished out of Catanduanes waters another cocaine pack

LEGAZPI CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed Saturday that the block containing white crystalline granules fished out of the waters off Baras town in Catanduanes province on Thursday was cocaine.

Police Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said the PDEA laboratory on Thursday revealed that the illegal drug substance found by John Anthony Tabinas, 27, fisherman, in the sea in Baras around 11 a.m. Thursday was cocaine.

Abegail Miranda, PDEA chemist, in her report said the qualitative examination gave a positive result for the presence of cocaine with a net weight of 1,011.4 grams.

The find followed a series of recovery of blocks of cocaine off the shores of the provinces of Quezon and Bicol during the past few months.

Christian Frivaldo, PDEA acting regional director, in a phone interview said they were still validating whether the blocks of cocaine found previously in waters off Camarines Norte, Sorsogon and Catanduanes came from one source.

“Drug profiling process takes a while since we have limited capabilities in knowing the chemistry, the quality of the drugs, where it was produced,” he said.

He said the drug samples taken from the packs found in Sorsogon, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes would be submitted to a drug enforcement agency abroad for profiling.

“This will enable us to determine the possible sources of the cocaine,” he added.

He said the agency has requested the Australia Federal Police and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency to assist in the profiling process.

Frivaldo said the possible cocaine source reference would be countries where the drug is produced such as Mexico and Columbia./lzb