Manila, Philippines – Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Friday Commends the PNP, AFP, Philippine Coast Guard, and PDEA for the arrest of two foreigners believed to be involved in the attempted transport of suspected illegal drugs worth PHP5.8 billion in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.
The suspected shabu, weighing 2.3 tons, was found inside 43 sacks aboard a speedboat that ran aground on the rocky shores of Paluan Island. The vessel was being operated by two suspected foreign nationals.
It can be recalled that two Filipinos were previously arrested for trying to rescue the foreigners involved in the smuggling and admitted being hired by an individual in Batangas.
Also under investigation is a Chinese woman who allegedly rented a house and purchased the boat used for the illegal transactions in the Philippines.
The Secretary believes that a large-scale syndicate is behind the operation, which frequently conducts its transactions within Philippine waters.
Meanwhile, during a press conference earlier today, Remulla highlighted the country’s declining crime rate, attributing it to the government’s approach to the illegal drug problem without the need for killings.
The Secretary added that their operations specifically target the “Big Fish” in the illegal drug trade rather than ordinary citizens.