Package containing suspected cocaine found floating off Baras, Catanduanes waters

The package containing suspected cocaine found floating off the waters of Baras, Catanduanes on Thursday, March 7./Police Regional Office-5/

(Eagle News) — Suspected illegal drugs were again recovered floating off the waters of the country, this time in Baras, Catanduanes.

A police report said the “white crystalline granules” alleged to be cocaine were found inside a brown package floating off the sea by a fisherman around 11 a.m.  on Thursday, March 7.

The fisherman turned over the package to the police later in the day.

The substance will be turned over to the Philippine National Police’s Crime Laboratory for examination.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said international drug cartels were behind the cocaine packages found floating off Philippine waters.

The PNP has said it was likely the illegal drugs were not intended for the Philippines, noting that the country was a known transshipment point of illegal drugs.