Cocaine bricks discovered in Pundakit, Zambales shoreline

as PDEA asks fishermen to surrender cocaine

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Friday issued a stern warning to the public, particularly fishermen, who are in possession of cocaine bricks that were part of a 2-ton shipment dumped from a Chinese fishing vessel off Eastern Samar in December last year.

"We are once again appealing to all those who still have cocaine bricks in their possession and control to immediately cooperate by surrendering the drugs to PDEA or other law enforcement authorities. Do not wait for the long arm of the law to reach you," PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago said.

The call came after the recovery of 1.1 kilograms of cocaine buried along the shore of Barangay Pundakit, San Antonio town in Zambales province on Wednesday.

The PDEA said the cocaine bricks worth at least P5.4 million were found by fishermen while sailing in the Mindoro-Manila Bay-Bataan-Zambales area.

It said that the cocaine bricks were stuffed in big plastic containers that were found floating by the fishermen.

The fishermen buried the cocaine bricks along the shore of Barangay Pundakit, but it was discovered by the PDEA through a local informant.

The PDEA believes the cocaine bricks were part of the 2 ton shipment dumped by the Chinese fishing vessel's crew last December.

Santiago said that since December 22, a total of 395.993 kilograms of cocaine have been recovered by the PDEA.

He said some of the drugs were surrendered by fishermen and some were seized from fishermen who tried to sell the cocaine.

He said a total of 14 people have been arrested by the PDEA for selling part of the 2-ton cocaine shipment since January of this year. With a report from Gary Puno, ABS-CBN Pampanga

• Samar fisherfolk warned vs hiding cocaine haul
• PDEA burns seized shabu, cocaine
• Cocaine bricks seized off Eastern Samar
• 16 kilos of cocaine seized from Davao City wharf