Mindoro: A ship suspected to be loaded with a large volume of illegal drugs was denied entry to Philippine waters in a joint operation by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Sunday. In a significant maritime operation, the two agencies collaborated to prevent the vessel from breaching the country’s territorial waters.

According to Philippines News Agency, the PCG reported in a statement on Monday that the ship was positioned just outside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, near the Mindoro coast. Despite challenging conditions including heavy weather and rough seas, the coordinated efforts of the PCG and PDEA successfully barred the vessel from entering the Philippine territory.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan attributed the operation’s success to international collaboration and effective inter-agency coordination. He emphasized that the operation underscored the national government’s commitment to combating illegal drug activities and enforcing maritime law to prevent the spread of illegal substances within the country.

Further details regarding the operation were not disclosed by the PCG, citing ‘operational security’ as the reason for withholding additional information.