Shabu found drifting off Luzon now at P9.3B – PNP

A plastic bag containing shabu or crystal meth found floating in the waters off Ilocos Norte on June 12 bears Chinese characters, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The PDEA said residents of Barangays Pangil, Currimao; 33-A, La Paz, Laoag City; and Masintoc, Paoay turned over P20.4 million worth of shabu to authorities. — Photo from PDEA/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — The total value of the suspected shabu (crystal meth) found floating off Luzon this June has reached P9,320,127,600, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Authorities and concerned citizens recovered a total of 1,370.607 kilograms (1.37 metric tons) in recovery incidents in coastal provinces from June 2 to 20, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said in a press conference in Camp Crame on Tuesday.

“We’re looking into the angle that this isn’t just the 1.3 tons because there are excesses. Normally, these are big shipments,” Fajardo said.

She said they are still investigating the origin of the shabu packs.

“We’re still looking whether the origin of the floating shabu may be the same group behind the 1.5 tons recently intercepted in Zambales,” Fajardo added.

READ: Shabu worth P10B intercepted off Zambales coast – Navy

Last Friday, the Philippine Navy said that it and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) intercepted a fishing vessel carrying suspected shabu valued at P10 billion.

The PDEA pinned the blame on an international crime and drug syndicate for the recovered drugs. /das