THE Bureau of Customs (BOC)–Port of Subic uncovered an additional 123.91 kilograms of high-grade marijuana, locally known as kush, bringing the total value of illegal drugs confiscated from a seized yacht to approximately ₱366.65 million.
The secondary discovery occurred during an extended stripping and inspection operation on the vessel previously subjected to a multi-agency drug raid.
A composite team comprising operatives from the BOC, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Law Enforcement Department (SBMA-LED) conducted a thorough physical examination of the vessel’s hidden compartments.
The follow-up search yielded 109 additional packages of high-end kush with an estimated street value of ₱204.44 million.
Combined with the initial interdiction, authorities have now recovered a total of 198 packages of high-grade marijuana weighing nearly 222 kilograms from the same vessel.
BOC Port of Subic District Collector Atty. Geniefelle P. Lagmay stated that the breakthrough proves the necessity of deep-search procedures following initial seizures.
“This additional discovery shows that our work does not stop with the initial apprehension. We will continue to thoroughly examine and strip vessels when necessary to ensure that every possible hiding place is checked,” Lagmay said, emphasizing the port’s mandate to prevent narcotics from reaching local communities.
All newly recovered packages were inventoried and transferred to PDEA custody for laboratory testing, secure safekeeping, and formal evidentiary presentation in preparation for criminal charges against those involved in the smuggling operation.
