Police in the Ilocos region are advising residents to stay vigilant as floating shabu continues to be discovered in the West Philippine Sea.

Brig. Gen. Lou F. Evangelista, the Ilocos police chief, emphasized the importance of reporting any suspicious items found on the shoreline to authorities without attempting to open them.

This week, three kilograms of shabu worth P20.4 million were found in three different locations in Ilocos Norte. A local tourist discovered a pack of shabu in a rock formation in Currimao, followed by two fishermen finding similar items in Paoay and Laoag City the next day.

The seized contraband is currently in the custody of the PDEA-Ilocos Norte Provincial Office for proper handling. Authorities are actively patrolling and collaborating with coastal communities to locate and retrieve any additional packages.

Evangelista expressed gratitude to the fishermen for promptly turning over the illegal substances to law enforcement. He highlighted the significance of their quick and honest actions in preventing a large quantity of drugs from entering the streets. Working in conjunction with PDEA and other agencies, efforts are underway to trace the origins of these packages. The consistent discoveries along the Region 1 coast indicate a potential trend of drug traffickers utilizing territorial waters for smuggling, with links to previous incidents in Pangasinan and Ilocos Sur.