Police recovered more than P133-million worth of suspected cocaine in a coastal area in Linapacan town, Palawan province, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said joint personnel from the Linapacan Municipal Police Station, Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit, and Provincial Intelligence Unit responded to a call from a concerned resident of Barangay Maroyog-royog around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
He said the informant relayed that a certain Benjo discovered packages believed to contain illegal drugs on the coastline of Sitio Calelenday.
Responding lawmen found several boxes wrapped in black tape and marked with the word “stone” scattered on the shoreline.
They contained suspected cocaine with an estimated total weight of 25 kilos and a standard drug price of P133.6 million.
They have been turned over to the Palawan Provincial Forensic Unit and will be forwarded to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Palawan Office for proper handling and disposition.
The PNP reiterated its commitment to sustaining aggressive operations and strengthening public cooperation in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. who continues to emphasize that a safer, more secure, and drug-free Philippines is the top priority.
PNP spokesperson Police Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño underscored the importance of continuing proactive measures in remote areas.
“Hindi natin puwedeng hayaang gamitin ng sindikato ang mga baybayin at isla bilang drop-off points (We cannot allow the syndicate to use the coasts and islands as drop-off points). Every recovery, like this one, denies criminals the opportunity to distribute illegal drugs in our communities,” he said. (PNA)