The Philippine Navy intercepted a suspicious fishing vessel in the waters off the province of Zambales on June 20th, seizing approximately 1.5 tons of methamphetamine, valued at around 10 billion pesos (approximately 56 billion New Taiwan dollars). This incident ranks as one of the largest drug seizures in the Navy's history.

According to the Navy, the fishing boat was behaving suspiciously, leading to the arrest of five individuals on board, including four Filipino citizens and one foreign national. The vessel has been transported to Subic Naval Base for further investigation and drug testing.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency suggested that the seized drugs may be linked to the international drug syndicate known as the 'Sam Gor' alliance, which comprises five Asian drug gangs and controls a significant portion of the drug trade in the Asia-Pacific region. Their annual revenue is estimated to exceed $17 billion.

Naval Commander Edward Ike De Sagon emphasized that this operation illustrates the Navy's commitment to securing maritime safety and addressing the threats posed by transnational drug networks. The investigation is ongoing, and details regarding the suspects and smuggling patterns are still being clarified.