Coast Guard ups watch vs. contrabands in Negros ports

March 7, 2022

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) authorities are ramping up monitoring and security measures against illegal drugs and other contraband in ports in Negros Occidental.

PCG-Negros Occidental Commander Joe Luviz Mercurio said K-9 detection dogs have been deployed in the ports of Bacolod, Escalante and San Carlos cities.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives on Friday seized a Bacolod-bound shipment of shabu worth P34 million in Escalante.

Mercurio said the K-9 units are checking all vehicles entering the ports, with the cooperation of PDEA and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO).

Although they do not have enough sniffer dogs, the Coast Guard officer said they can still effectively utilize the dogs alongside their other canines detecting explosives and other contraband.

Mercurio said more K-9 units and other enhancement assets from their facilities in Luzon are expected to arrive this year.

Earlier on Friday, PDEA agents arrested Vicente Sepuesca during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Old Poblacion, Escalante.

PDEA and PCG authorities said that Sepuesca did originate from Tabuelan port in Cebu.

A total of five bags of shabu valued at P34 million were seized in the operation, the biggest drug seizure so far in 2022 in the province.* (With reports from DGB)