Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, intercepted an attempt to smuggle 120 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, at the Port of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez said the shabu haul was confiscated from the suspect identified as alias “Cris”, 43, a male truck driver and resident of Oton, Iloilo.
On March 21, 2025 at around 9:30 a.m., combined elements of PDEA Regional Office MIMAROPA Calapan Seaport Interdiction Unit and K9 Unit; PDEA MIMAROPA Oriental Mindoro Provincial Office; PDEA Intelligence Service; PDEA Regional Office-National Capital Region (RO-NCR) Regional Special Enforcement Team 2; PDEA SIU- Batangas; PDEA Regional Office IV-A Interdiction Unit; NBI MIMAROPA; Philippine Coast Guard Sub-Station Calapan K9 Unit; PPA-PMO Mindoro; PNP-DEG, Calapan City Drug Enforcement Unit; Regional Drug Enforcement Unit, Calapan City Police Station; Philippine Army; PNP Regional Highway Patrol Unit; and PNP Maritime Group 4B, arrested an alias “Cris” after a random inspection and K-9 sweeping inside the compartment of his vehicle that yielded traveling bags containing 120 packs of suspected shabu, weighing more or less 120 kilograms worth P816,000,000.
Also seized during the seaport interdiction operation are one Toyota Camry, one mobile phone and the commercial transport documents of the suspect.
Alias “Cris” will be facing charges for violation of Section 5 (Transportation of Illegal Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Illegal Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“Another high-impact operation that saved countless lives. This is going to be a regular part of PDEA life”, he added.
“The operation is the first major seizure of illegal drugs in Oriental Mindoro. Beside the country’s airports and parcel system, we also need to protect our seaports from becoming transit and dropping points for large volumes of illegal drugs,” Undersecretary Nerez said.
