CAMP GOV. BANTUG, Maasin City – Authorities intercepted a large drug haul discovered in an abandoned vehicle during a port interdiction operation at the Liloan Ferry Terminal, Barangay San Roque, Liloan, Southern Leyte, early morning on November 8.

At around 12:15 a.m, a composite team from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Southern Leyte Maritime Group (SLMG), Liloan Municipal Police Station (Liloan MPS), Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) 8, Provincial Intelligence Unit and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) conducted a routine inspection of vehicles arriving from the MV Fast Cat M17, which had traveled from Surigao City, Surigao Del Norte.

During the inspection, the team found an abandoned virgil grey Mitsubishi Montero with its engine running in the port’s marshalling area. Anticipating that the vehicle may be loaded with explosives, the interdiction team requested the assistance of the PCG K9 unit.

The initial search for explosives, conducted in the presence of barangay officials from San Roque, Liloan, and employees of FastCat, yielded negative results.

However, at around 1:50 a.m, PDEA agents conducted a thorough inspection of the vehicle’s interior and found three large bags in its compartment.

A Narcotic Detection Dog indicated a positive alert for illegal drugs. Upon further examination, authorities confiscated a total of 57 large packs containing suspected illegal substances, estimated to weigh approximately one kilogram per pack.

A follow-up investigation into the identity and whereabouts of the driver, based on the bill of lading, revealed that the driver is from Surigao, while the registered owner of the vehicle is from Carmen, Surigao del Sur.

The joint team is currently conducting follow-up operations, backtracking the vehicle’s movements and, if necessary, initiating a hot pursuit of the driver.

Col. Hector Enage, provincial director of the Southern Leyte Police Provincial Office, lauded the composite interdiction team for promptly executing the port operations as agreed upon during the Transit Guard meeting on September 25, 2024.

“I am pleased to report that the team has successfully removed approximately 57 kilograms of illegal drugs from our streets,” he stated. “This significant seizure represents our commitment to protecting our communities and ensuring a safer environment for all.”