Ten fishermen from Bataan discovered ten sacks of shabu floating in the waters of Masinloc, Zambales, with an estimated street value of ₱1.5 billion.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the fishermen found the illegal drugs on May 29 and turned them over to authorities on June 2.
Inside the sacks were 223 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic packs containing suspected shabu.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) received a report from one of the fishermen regarding the suspicious sacks.
Fearing possible retaliation, the fisherman hid the contraband aboard an abandoned barge in Mariveles, Bataan before notifying authorities.
PCG K9 units inspected the sacks and confirmed the presence of illegal drugs.
The Coast Guard Station Bataan immediately coordinated with PDEA-Bataan, which conducted an on-site assessment and verified the authenticity of the seized narcotics.
The PDEA Regional Office 3 has launched an investigation to determine the origin of the drugs.
Anti-illegal drug agents in Bataan and Zambales are working with other law enforcement agencies and local government units to trace the source.
The confiscated drugs will undergo forensic examination to confirm their composition and purity.