GENERAL LUNA, SIARGAO ISLANDS — Police in Surigao del Norte successfully recovered more than ₱54 million worth of suspected illegal drugs and apprehended three foreign nationals in a hot pursuit operation on December 24, a day before Christmas, authorities confirmed.
The Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office (SDNPPO), working closely with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard, 1st SDN Provincial Mobile Force Company, and intelligence units, mounted the operation after residents of Barangay Daku found sealed packages washed along the shoreline — with some items spotted floating at sea.
Police Colonel Warren E. Dablo, Provincial Director of SDNPPO, identified the arrested individuals as:
• A 30-year-old Canadian trader reportedly living on a boat with no permanent address
• A 53-year-old Hungarian national and retired engineer from El Nido, Palawan
• A 58-year-old Hungarian national, also from El Nido, and a real estate developer
Authorities rushed to Daku Island upon receiving the call at around 8:49 a.m. and confirmed the presence of eight bricks of suspected shabu weighing roughly 8 kilograms and valued at ₱54.4 million. Also seized were 10 grams of marijuana kush worth ₱14,000.
Yacht Explosion Link
Investigators uncovered that the same foreigners were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard on December 7 after their yacht ran aground near Daku Island. A local boatman later testified that he witnessed the foreigners deliberately detonate the yacht, causing the suspected illegal drugs onboard to drift into nearby waters.
The confirmation prompted police to launch an immediate hot pursuit, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
Police Warning vs Holiday Drug Traffic
Colonel Dablo warned criminal groups that the holiday season does not provide a free pass for illicit operations.
“The holiday season is not a safe window for illegal drug activities. Our operations remain active and relentless. Those who choose to violate the law risk spending the holidays not with family, but in detention,” he said.
The suspects were taken into custody at the General Luna Municipal Police Station and informed of their rights under the Miranda Doctrine and the Anti-Torture Act.
The SDNPPO vowed to remain steadfast in combating illegal drug networks and protecting communities — emphasizing that justice has no holiday and no exceptions for nationality.