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Saturday, September 25, 2004
Lab, shabu worth billions uncovered in Mandaue
By Allan I. Varquez
CEBU CITY -- Long-held speculations about the existence of a shabu laboratory in Cebu was finally confirmed Friday night when the PNP special anti-drugs unit raided one and seized more than a ton of shabu.
The area is just half kilometer away from the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge at the Mandaue City side in Barangay Umapad.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 Regional Director Amado Marquez told reporters the illegal drugs were worth billions of pesos and 11 Chinese-looking foreigners were arrested in the raid that began past 5 p.m.
"Probably this is one the biggest shabu laboratories in the Philippines and the possibility that there could be another one here in Central Visayas cannot be discounted," he said.
The raiding team from the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) in Manila and its regional office in Cebu and PDEA 7 barred reporters to get inside the compound for fear of an accident because of the chemicals inside the three warehouse buildings.
Some of the seized drugs were in big plastic packs ready for disposal while some were in huge plastic containers. The laboratory used high-tech equipment.
Past 9 p.m. Rep. Antonio Cuenco, the former House committee chairman on dangerous drugs, came to inspect the place.
People going inside each warehouse had to wear a mask because of strong odor from the chemicals.
The laboratory was housed in three warehouse buildings along Plaridel St. and five meters from UN Ave. In the middle of the compound was a steel post where a giant billboard was installed.
The seven feet high steel gate along Plaridel St. was marked Caps 'R' Us Inc. but since November last year, another firm named Bright Star took over the compound.
(September 25, 2004 issue)
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