ARMY troops successfully recovered approximately 876 kilograms of suspected high-grade “shabu” (crystal meth) and apprehended two Chinese nationals involved in transporting the drugs off the coast of Occidental Mindoro, military and law enforcement officials reported on Wednesday.
The operation highlights ongoing efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking in the region and underscores the threat posed by transnational drug syndicates.
Maj. Gen. Ramon Zagala, commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, explained that soldiers and civilian militia responded to a report from a local resident about a twin-engine speedboat that had run aground in Sitio Agbalete, Barangay Harrison, Paluan, on Tuesday afternoon.
Upon arriving at the scene, they observed the boat and noted the presence of two Chinese-looking men standing nearby. When the suspects saw the troops, they fled into a nearby forested area but were later captured the following day.
Brig. Gen. Melencio Ragudo, commander of the 203rd Infantry “Bantay Kapayapaan” Brigade, detailed that personnel from a nearby patrol base, along with members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit, inspected the speedboat at the 76th Infantry Battalion headquarters. During the inspection, authorities discovered 43 sacks containing white crystalline substances, each weighing between 20 to 30 kilograms, which were later confirmed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police chemists to be high-grade shabu.
PDEA spokesperson Joseph Frederick Calulut stated that an inventory of the seized drugs is still ongoing, but initial estimates suggest the total weight is around 876 kilograms. The recovered substances are valued at approximately P 5.8 billion, reflecting the significant scale of the operation and the potential impact on the local drug trade. The successful interdiction demonstrates the combined efforts of military and law enforcement agencies in tackling illegal drug activities along the country’s coastlines.
