20 Filipino crew onboard cargo vessel carrying cocaine in South Korea — DMW

The cargo vessel that was busted in South Korea for carrying tons of suspected cocaine was being manned by 20 Filipino seafarers, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Tuesday.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that even the captain of the ship is a Filipino, but authorities are still investigating their involvement in the incident, which was considered as the biggest drug haul in the history of South Korea. 

“Ang naiulat ay sa engine room na natagpuan. Eto, kasama na ‘yan sa imbestigasyon kung sino ang mga sangkot, kung meron man kasama sa mga tripolante, kung ano man ang mga detalye, kung nasasaan o ano ang mga location at involvement ng bawat tripolante on board,” Cacdac said in an Unang Balita interview.

(The substance was reportedly found in the engine room. Authorities are investigating who were involved and if the Filipino crew were among them.)

Currently, Cacdac said that the crew members are being assisted by a lawyer provided by the shipowner, but the Philippine government will also assign them another lawyer within the next two days.

“Sa ngayon ay sila ay under investigation sa South Korea. Tayo naman ay nakikipag-ugnayan. This morning, makikipag-usap kami sa pamilya and ‘yung pagkakaroon ng abogado on the scene,” he added.

(Right now, they are under investigation in South Korea. We are coordinating. This morning, we will talk to their family and we will look for a lawyer to be deployed on the scene.)

Over 50 boxes of alleged cocaine weighing approximately two tonnes were earlier found by South Korean authorities in a hidden compartment in the engine room of M/V Lunita, based on an Unang Balita report of Ian Cruz.

The tip regarding the contraband reportedly came from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations.

According to authorities, the Norwegian-flagged cargo vessel came from Mexico and traveled to Ecuador, Panama, and China before docking in South Korea.

Shipping company J.J Ugland Companies confirmed that they own the vessel involved in the major drug bust.

The company also said that the crew on board the ship were from the Philippines.

“[I]t is unclear how the drugs came aboard our vessel. We are working with relevant authorities to assist in the investigation, both in South Korea and in other affected jurisdictions," the shipping company said in a statement. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News