The 88 bricks of cocaine that were recovered off the waters of Surigao del Norte are not intended to be smuggled to any part of the Philippines, police said yesterday.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police, said these appear to be parts of a big drug haul that were purposely dumped into the high seas near the Philippine waters and were supposed to be recovered by divers of syndicates.
“Our initial analysis is that it is not for the Philippines. The area where they were dumped was supposed to be a transient point and they will be transported to other countries,” said Albayalde.
A total of 40 bricks of cocaine were recovered off the waters of Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte last Friday. A few days earlier, 48 bricks of cocaine were retrieved off the waters of Dinagat Island.
Chief Supt. Gilbert Cruz, director of the Caraga police, said the bricks of cocaine found in Surigao del Norte have a dollar sign while those in Dinagat Island have a marking of the logo of a popular European car.
“Nakita natin na ‘yung tali na nagho-hold dun sa mga bloke ng cocaine ay parang putol kaya lumalabas na parang napigtas ang tali kaya nagka-hiwawalay,” said Cruz.
Albayalde said that cocaine is not a popular illegal drug in the country. While there are some users in the Philippines, he said cocaine is not patronized by illegal drug users because it is expensive compared to shabu.
He said cocaine is popular in the Western countries.
Albayalde said the high waters near the Philippines are being used as transient point because the syndicates know that the Philippines and the neighboring countries are having difficulty patrolling their waters. (Aaron Recuenco)
