By Niño Luces
Sorsogon City, Sorsogon — At least P120 million worth of cocaine was discovered by police floating near the shore of Barangay Calintaan, Matnog town, this province last Wednesday morning.
Senior Superintendent Marlon Tejada, Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, told The Manila Bulletin that police who seized the contraband initially suspected the 24 packs of white substance to be methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu.”
(photo by Jinky Tabor)
However, a laboratory test confirmed yesterday that the substance was cocaine, which the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) estimated to cost about P5 million per pack.
Tejada said a certain Robert F. Galvez reported sighting a floating container near the shore to the Matnog Municipal Police Station (MPS) at 5:30 a.m. of January 3.
Police plucked the container from the water and uncovered the 24 packs of the white substance which weighed more or less one kilogram each.
“I suspect it was thrown off a vessel to avoid inspection. The maritime police is very active in this area,” Tejada said.
The area known as Juag Lagoon in Barangay Calintaan, where the container was found, is a famous tourist destination in the town.