₱1.3B suspected shabu found in Pampanga mall parking lot

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 26) — Authorities on Saturday seized suspected shabu, valued at ₱1.3 billion, in an "abandoned vehicle" at a parking lot of a mall in Pampanga.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Manila Task Force Against Illegal Drugs and the Mabalacat City police conducted the operation at around 2:30 a.m. in Barangay Camachiles.

The PNP said 200 kilograms of the suspected illegal drugs were found in a red Avanza with license plate number ZGS643.

It added that it is now working with the Land Transportation Office to determine the ownership and registration details of the vehicle.

"The discovery of such a massive drug haul serves as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges posed by illegal drug syndicates in our society," PNP chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a statement.

The seized items are now under the custody of the NBI.