Bundles of cocaine found anew in waters off Samar Island

BIG CATCH Eastern Samar policemen conduct an inventory of the packs of cocaine found floating by a fisherman in the waters of Arteche town on March 8. —EASTERN SAMAR POLICE PROVINCIAL OFFICE PHOTO

TACLOBAN CITY—The waters off Samar Island has again become the drop-off point for another batch of multimillion-peso worth of cocaine, the third major recovery since 2009.

Gov. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar on Sunday has appealed for vigilance among Samareños following the discovery of packs of cocaine totaling over 20 kilograms and worth P111.85 million floating in the waters off Arteche town of the province on Friday.

“I am alarmed by this incident. I am asking everyone to be vigilant and report to authorities this kind of situation,” he told the Inquirer.

At least 20 packs of cocaine were found floating in the waters off Arteche at about 3:30 p.m. on March 8. A fisherman, Samuel Dalimpapas, 62, found the suspicious bundles in the waters off Barangay Tangbo, a report from the local police said.

The contraband was wrapped in two big plastic bags and enclosed in a fish net.

Turned over

Dalimpapas first informed Arteche Mayor Roland Boie Evardone, the governor’s nephew, about the recovered packs suspected to be cocaine, as similar bundles had previously been found floating in Samar Island’s waters.

Mayor Evardone turned over the items to the police, which conducted a laboratory examination to authenticate the prohibited substance.

Gov. Evardone commended Dalimpapas for surrendering the contraband to authorities.

The cocaine weighs about 21,105 grams with a commercial value of P111.85 million, the provincial police office has reported.

Police investigators have yet to determine how these illegal drugs surfaced in the waters of Eastern Samar.

But this was not the first time it happened.

In 2018, 25 packs of cocaine valued at P4 million were also found floating in the waters off Homonhon Island in Guiuan town, also in Eastern Samar.

READ: ‘Floating cocaine’ breaches P1-B mark in 2 months

In 2009, about 1.2 tons of cocaine were thrown off the waters off Northern and Eastern Samar provinces by a Chinese vessel, reportedly to avoid being detected by the Philippine and US governments.

At least 500 packs of cocaine valued at P800 million were seized by local authorities and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in that operation.

The previously recovered drugs had been turned over the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for disposition. INQ