At least 25 kilos of illegal drugs worth approximately P170 million were confiscated from a mother and her son in a joint operation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 and personnel of the Philippine National Police and its sub-units.

The contraband was seized at Pier 4 in Cebu City on January 23, 2025.

A police dog, also known as a K-9 dog, helped determine the presence of contraband inside a vehicle loaded on a roll on-roll off (roro) vessel that arrived in Cebu City morning on January 23, 2025.

The suspects were determined to be a mother-and-son tandem, ages 63 years old and 41 years old.

In an interview, they said that cartons were loaded into the car in Manila, and passed through the Province of Masbate in going to Cebu City.

The K-9 dog named “Bayani” helped determine, through behavioral signs, the presence of illegal drugs inside the car.

Inside the car compartment and on the passenger seat were cartons where crystalline substances in huge packs were kept.

The mother-and-son tandem who were arrested by the authorities kept mum about the source of the substance.

PDEA chemists in an onsite test confirmed that the contraband is positive of the presence of methamphetamine. A confirmatory test on the substance is set, the chemists added.

The suspects said that they are not aware of the content of the cartons, as they were only asked to have the cargo taken to Cebu City.

PDEA 7 Director Alex Tablate said that this is by far the largest shipment of illegal substance they have intercepted in Cebu City.

As of this writing, the authorities have launched a probe on the source of the contraband.

The Local Government Unit of Cebu City has acknowledged the achievement of PDEA 7 and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), led by Police Colonel Enrico Figueroa, in their continuous anti-illegal drugs campaign.

PDEA 7 has assured of the appropriate disposal of the contraband via thermal machine as soon as the agency gets a directive from the court.