Navy finds P19M ‘kush’ marijuana off Escoda Shoal

An aerial photo taken by the Philippine Coast Guard shows the wide expanse of Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. — File photo

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Navy has intercepted a bag containing P19.2 million worth of suspected high-grade marijuana near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

The crew of the Navy patrol gunboat BRP Lolinato To-Ong and members of the Maritime CAFGU Active Auxiliary Unit–West fished the suspicious black bag out of the water during a maritime patrol Saturday morning.

It yielded 32 plastic packs of suspected marijuana kush, a potent variant of cannabis, weighing approximately 16 kilograms.

“These operations underscore the Philippine Navy’s continued commitment to maritime law enforcement and interagency cooperation to keep our seas safe and free from illicit activities,” Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Arlene Martinez told reporters on Tuesday.

The Navy was investigating where the packages originated and whether they were linked to smuggling or transnational drug trafficking operations in the West Philippine Sea.