SPEEDBOAT YIELDS P5.8-B SHABU IN MINDORO

TWO Chinese nationals on Tuesday were arrested while some P5.8 billion worth of shabu in a speedboat was seized in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.

The identities of the arrested foreigners were being verified.

The arrest came shortly after a speedboat being driven by the two developed engine trouble along the shoreline of Sitio Agbalite in Bgy. Harrison, Palun municipality around 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Local residents who tried to help the two foreign-looking speedboat passengers got suspicious when they failed to communicate with them either in English or Filipino.

The duo later hurriedly got off the vessel and run towards the nearby forested area after they saw more people approaching them.

Village residents sought the attention of soldiers and militiamen from the Philippine Army’s 76^th Infantry Battalion and 2^nd Infantry Division, who rushed to the site.

Soldiers conducted a hot pursuit operation and arrested the two Chinese nationals.

Troopers discovered some 43 sacks containing the smuggled drugs aboard the vessel. Each sack carried around 30 kilograms of the “poor man’s cocaine.”

Authorities theorized that the suspects have come from a “mother ship” and assigned to transport the shabu to a designated area where they will be met by “contacts” until their speedboat run into trouble.

Charges for drug importation and smuggling were filed against the two suspects who are now undergoing questioning.