Cocaine found in Maersk yard

MAERSK    REEFER    TRANSSHIPMENT    DRUGS

Philippines - Fifteen kg of high-grade cocaine, with a street value of approximately P110 million, (US$8.52 million) have been seized from reefer vans parked at Maersk Shipping Lines' van yard along Barangay Sasa, Davao city.

A joint operation between the local police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) found approximately 7.8 kg of cocaine on 10 December from a reefer van parked at the compound of Maersk Shipping Lines.

According to local media sources, Police said reefer van technicians, first thought the banned substance hidden inside the evaporator access panel of the reefer were ordinary powder but later reported to the Sasa Police Station.

Upon confirmation that the substance found was high-grade cocaine, Maersk asked the authorities to inspect all reefer vans in their compound, Balita reported.

The first reefer van was traced to have been shipped from India, Singapore then to Malaysia and arrived in Davao City on 18 November.

On 11 December, another 8 kg was found in the compartment of the reefer van, which arrived in Davao City on 4 December from Pakistan, but passed through Malaysia before reaching the city.

Rodrigo Duterte, mayor of Davao and other police officials believed that Davao City was only used as transshipment point and not bound for Davao or any other parts of the Philippines.

"This is the biggest number of illegal drugs seized so far in Davao City after a shabu laboratory was discovered and raided by authorities in Dumoy, Toril Davao City wherein more than 70 kg of illegal drugs were found," Duterte said.

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