Fisherman finds 9 sacks of illegal drugs in waters off Zambales
Nine sacks of what believed to be illegal drugs were seized from a grounded barge in Barangay Sisiman in Mariveles, Bataan recently. — Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — A local fisherman found nine sacks of suspected illegal drugs while fishing in the waters off this province, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Monday, June 2.
Based on a PCG report, the fisherman discovered the contraband on Thursday, May 29, and secured it aboard a grounded barge in Barangay Sisiman in Mariveles, Bataan out of fear of possible reprisal.
He then reported his find to the Coast Guard Station (CGS) Bataan, which conducted an inspection on Monday.
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During the inspection, Coast Guard K9 units positively indicated the presence of illegal drugs and immediately coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Bataan, which conducted an on-site assessment and confirmed that the recovered items were illegal drugs.
Authorities have yet to disclose the kind of illegal drugs that were discovered by the fisherman. The town where the contraband was found had also not been revealed.
CGS Bataan personnel remained on-site to assist in the documentation, security, and turnover procedures. /das
