Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel with the seized narcotics Philippine Coast Guard
Coast Guard

Philippine Coast Guard seizes over $15m in illegal drugs off Zambales province

Gareth Havelock

The Philippine Coast Guard and some local partner agencies have seized nine bales containing illegal drugs off the coast of Zambales province north of Manila.

The bales containing the contraband were first sighted floating in the water by a local fisherman while he was fishing off Zambales' Masinloc municipality on Thursday, May 29.

The fisherman later informed local authorities about the bales, prompting the coast guard to assess and secure the alleged contraband in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

The contents of the bales were later confirmed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride totalling more than 222 kg. The coast guard said the drugs have an estimated market value of over PHP890 million (US$15 million).

The seized narcotics will be sent to the PDEA's headquarters in Metro Manila for further forensic examination.

Neither the coast guard nor PDEA has disclosed details on the drugs' supposed origin or the identities of the individuals who left the bales floating in the water off Zambales.