The Philippine Navy on Tuesday said it has recovered suspected illegal drugs near the contested Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Arlene Martinez confirmed that the BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902) and the Maritime Command and Control Air Unit–West (MCAAU–W) conducted the operation after receiving a report of a suspicious black bag drifting in the area.

The tip-off was received around 6 p.m. on 17 October, prompting the Navy to deploy a team already conducting maritime and sovereignty patrols in the area.

By 6:40 a.m. the following day, 18 October, the team recovered the bag containing multiple packages suspected to be high-grade marijuana, commonly known as “kush.”

“The operation was coordinated promptly upon receiving the sighting from the Maritime Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary Unit–West. This proactive response led to the successful recovery of the contraband,” Martinez told reporters.

On 20 October, the seized items were formally turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)–Palawan at 2Lt Lagare Pier, Tidepole, Puerto Princesa City. Personnel from the Palawan Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) assisted in the handover.

According to PDEA, the package contained 32 clear and black plastic bags with a total weight of 16 kilograms. The estimated street value of the suspected kush is pegged at P19.2 million.

Meanwhile, the Western Naval Command underscored its commitment to interagency cooperation in countering the smuggling of illegal substances through Philippine waters.

Sabina Shoal, located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, remains a strategic area of concern due to heightened maritime tensions and repeated incursions by foreign vessels.