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Cocaine found on Matnog seashore not from Taiwan - TECO

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/01/04/shabu3.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Photo by Darrel Jun Buena</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Authorities denied speculation that some US$2.5 million (P125 million) worth of cocaine that washed up on the seashore of Matnog, Sorsogon last week came from Taiwan.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/05/18/cocaine-worth-25m-washes-up-on-matnog-seashore">Cocaine worth $2.5M washes up on Matnog seashore</a></li></ul><p>According to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO), cargo ship &quot;JIN MING No. 16&quot; does not exist in the database of Taiwan. </p><p>&quot;Based on the Philippine authorities&#x27; investigation of the ship&#x27;s documents, albeit expired, the record confirms that vessel&#x27;s nationality is Togolese, not Taiwan,&quot; TECO stressed. </p><p>&quot;The so-called Taiwanese documents submitted to Philippine authorities by the captain (a Mainland Chinese) are actually faked and forged by him, not true and authentic documents,&quot; it added.</p><p>Taiwanese authorities said the route of the vessel originated from Hainan province, part of mainland China, to Chile.</p><p>They said even the report that a crew member admitted the 24 kilos of cocaine came from their ship is false.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/01/04/shabu1.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Photo by Darrel Jun Buena</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;The cocaine did not come from Taiwan and the ship is not a Taiwanese ship. We will continue to partner with Philippine law enforcement agencies to combat illegal drug trafficking,&quot; said TECO.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/01/04/shabu2.jpg"/><figcaption><em>Photo by Darrel Jun Buena</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>A local fisherman in Matnog found a drum on Wednesday and reported it to authorities. When the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency opened it, they discovered the cocaine. </p><p>PDEA regional director Christian Frivaldo earlier said the source of the cocaine may be a Taiwan-flagged cargo vessel that was hit by huge waves.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/04/18/24-pakete-ng-hinihinalang-cocaine-nasabat-sa-baybayin-sa-sorsogon">24 pakete ng hinihinalang cocaine, nasabat sa baybayin sa Sorsogon</a></li></ul>

<p>Authorities denied speculation that some US$2.5 million (P125 million) worth of cocaine that washed up on the seashore of Matnog, Sorsogon last week came from Taiwan.</p>

Authorities denied speculation that some US$2.5 million (P125 million) worth of cocaine that washed up on the seashore of Matnog, Sorsogon last week came from Taiwan.