Cocaine in Sharks | The Manila Times

MARINE researchers have discovered high levels of cocaine in the liver and muscle tissues of sharpnose sharks off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They attributed this to heavy cocaine use among addicts in Brazil, with runoff flushing the drug into toilets, sewage systems, waterways and ultimately into the world’s seas and oceans.

In 2021, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released its annual World Drug Report, which stated that there were 22 million cocaine users worldwide, 4.84 million of whom were from the South America region. It also claimed that the massive proliferation of cocaine production and use continued despite global efforts to curb it. It had reached epic proportions to the extent that millions of cocaine users had released their illegal substance into the oceans and seas through their urine and feces. The cocaine residues ended up in the bellies of fish and marine animals such as mollusks, crustaceans, and eels. Sharks that had ingested cocaine had become hyperactive and posed a threat to humans. Apart from sewage contaminated with the said drug, another way cocaine ends up in our oceans is when criminal gangs dump cocaine along coastlines when they are about to be caught by law enforcement. Drug dealers also wrapped cocaine in waterproof plastic and dumped it into the water for distributors to pick up.

With high concentrations of cocaine in seawater, the Philippines is likely facing a similar dilemma as drug-ridden countries in terms of the negative impact of narcotics on their maritime safety, environmental protection, health and food security. Our archipelagic country is the region’s leading hotspot for the production, distribution and transshipment of synthetic methamphetamine hydrochloride, infamously known as “shabu.” The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that there are 1.67 million drug users in the country, or two out of every 100 Filipinos, with 43 percent of the country’s 42,004 barangays affected by shabu. Illicit drugs had caused endemic corruption among law enforcement and local officials, resulting in the breakdown of peace and order.

In a survey conducted by this author among 153 respondents, it was found that 34 percent agreed that illegal drug trade worsened during the administration of President Duterte, while it was slightly higher at 43 percent during the incumbent President Marcos. It shows a growing perception among Filipinos that illegal drugs have persisted through two administrations, despite tough campaigns against them by the police.

The likelihood of shabu presence in waterways is caused by the lack of modern pipes, drainage systems and water treatment plants. Large amounts of shabu residues could have seeped into our rivers and streams. This has probably contaminated our fish and water supply since the use of shabu became widespread in the country. Millions of Filipinos are unaware that they have unknowingly ingested shabu in their digestive system. This poses a serious public health problem. What is even more worrisome is that there are infants and children under the age of five who are directly exposed to untreated water from rivers and streams. They are very vulnerable to addiction to shabu and synthetic drugs.

Furthermore, people should realize that if cocaine or shabu continues to pollute our coastlines and territorial seas, it spells catastrophic ecological imbalance and destruction of our fish stocks. The country is still reeling from man-made events that exacerbate climate change-induced disasters such as extreme typhoons, heat waves, massive floods and dengue fever.

The present case is a stark reminder of the complex societal problems that are intertwined in a web of escalating public safety challenges. The presence of cocaine or shabu in the oceans and seas can negatively impact people’s access to fish stocks, ultimately leading to ecological collapse and degradation of the food supply. In addition to health problems, people are exposed to toxins and narcotics that destroy their physiological well-being and cognitive abilities. Illicit drugs also motivate widespread corruption and bribery among police and government officials for the enormous profits. With the enormous money made, our bureaucracy is susceptible to “state takeover” by organized crime groups such as Mexican cartels.

The Philippine government must learn to connect the dots and use more responsive interventions instead of a shotgun approach to alleviate endemic problems. In this case, it should seriously focus on rebuilding public drainage infrastructure, introducing water treatment plants and curbing illegal drug activities with the strategies deployed by advanced Asian countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea.

However, the government’s preoccupation with issues such as Quadcom investigations, celebrity rapes and political strife does not sit well with the growing frustration of Filipinos and their demands for better and more proactive governance and services.