Legazpi City—The Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory has confirmed that the 40 blocks, weighing 39 kilos fished out of the waters in Gubat, Sorsogon on Monday, were indeed cocaine, a top official of the PNP in Bicol said on Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Arnel Escobal, PNP Bicol chief, said the 40 cocaine blocks kept in 12 boxes were found floating by fishermen at the “Nabat-an” waters in Barangay Bagacay in Gubat town in Sorsogon.
Fishermen Melvin Gregorio, Loubert Ergina, and John Mark Nabong, all residents of said village, immediately turned over the illegal drugs to the town police station, Escobal said.
He added in a news conference that the recovered drugs have a street value of P218 million, making it “the biggest cocaine haul recovered in Bicol.”
Investigation Agent V Rogelito Daculla, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency acting assistant regional director, when asked if the recovered cocaine in Gubat was similar to those found previously in waters off Camarines Norte, Sorsogon and Catanduanes came from one source, said this is still being validated.