PDEA on the watch for shabu-cocaine in capsules

DAET, Camarines Norte—The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is on the lookout for a new drug concoction, a crystalline mixture of shabu and cocaine.

Agent AJ Ferolino, chief of plans and operations division of Bicol PDEA, said cocaine mixed with pounded shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) were stashed in capsules and sold for P1,000 each.

Ferolino, speaking at the regional peace and order council (RPOC) meeting here on Thursday, said the cocaine mix is part of more than a ton of cocaine intended for China that was dumped off the waters of Samar by a cargo ship in December 2010 and retrieved by fishermen and coastal residents there. Most of the cocaine remained unrecovered.

She said PDEA sees the new tack of drug syndicates of selling shabu-cocaine capsules as a way of introducing cocaine to the local drug culture and winning over new cocaine users.

Ferolino said PDEA received information that the supply of illegal drugs was brought to Bicol by couriers in vans or buses from Manila, Cavite and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Those that came from Cebu and Mindanao were brought in through the Matnog and Pilar ports in Sorsogon, she said.

Ferolino said financial transactions of illegal drug businesses were carried out through banks or money transfer services.

She said PDEA data showed that shabu is still the most preferred drug among users, followed by marijuana while cocaine is penetrating the drug market.

Ferolino said drug enforcement data also showed that 557 villages in Bicol had been penetrated by the illegal drug trade.