THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is continuing its investigation into several blocks of cocaine that were fished out from the waters off Camarines Norte and Dinagat Islands, and which Director General Oscar Albayalde said may have been intended for foreign markets but ended up in the country’s territorial waters.
One possibility, however, emerged: that the illegal drug, which is not relatively popular among Filipino drug users, may have been intentionally dropped in two points in the country’s waters for recovery by international drug syndicates, as the country is a known drug transshipment point for Asia and Europe.
“One possibility here is that there were two drop off points, one in the area somewhere up and another down,” said PNP spokesman Senior Supt. Bernard Banac during a news briefing on Tuesday, referring to the waters in Luzon and Mindanao where the drugs were fished out.
A total of 92.7 kilos of cocaine blocks wrapped in plastic and with GPS were separately recovered during the past days in the waters off Vinzons in Camarines Norte and in Siargao, Dinagat Islands.
Banac said an investigation was being conducted in coordination with other law enforcement agencies in order to determine the origin and destination of the illegal drugs, along with the group behind it.
The cocaine blocks have English and other language markings, prompting Banac and Albayalde to initially believe that they may be intended for the international market, but accidently floated in the country’s waters.
Banac said the drugs could have been dropped in just one area, but may have been carried away by strong sea current, although this may be remote considering the distance between Camarines Norte and Dinagat.
