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Saturday, January 14, 2006
Cops, probe bureau raid idle 'shabu lab'
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- What was supposed to be an operation against the importation of right-hand-drive vehicles yielded a surprise for agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Central Visayas Friday noon.
Inside an empty warehouse in Barangay Pulpogan, Consolacion, Cebu, were equipment units essential to the manufacture of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu.
NBI head agent Renato Mandawe told reporters they could not yet confirm if the boiler, mixer, and dryer were used to make the illegal drug, saying these machineries were not solely for this purpose.
A test on the white powdery substance found in the warehouse showed that it was not shabu.
However, more tests need to be done to find out if the substance is made up of shabu precursors.
Initially, the NBI presumed that the powder was baking soda and iodized salt.
The NBI agents also informed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Central Visayas about the find.
No arrest was made.
Law enforcers have been keeping a close watch on the drug trade, especially after the raids on two warehouses in Mandaue City last September 2004.
The warehouses, which were leased, turned out to be shabu laboratories.
At least 12 men, including suspected financier Calvin Tan, who was extradited from Hong Kong, are facing illegal drug manufacturing charges.
Last Thursday, a janitor of a ship from Ozamis City was arrested for allegedly bringing in a kilo of shabu.
In a separate interview, Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob said there was no evidence that the warehouse was used as a shabu laboratory.
Abandoned
He said the facility has been abandoned for years.
However, PDEA Deputy Chief for Central Visayas Ronnie Montejo said they have received raw information about the existence of a shabu laboratory in the northern part of Cebu, but it was not clear if it was in Consolacion.
He said they want to investigate further to find out if the equipment units, which were full of cobwebs, were used in making the illegal drug.
For Friday's operation, the NBI secured a search warrant for two men on suspicion that they are importers of right-hand-drive (RHD) vehicles, which are illegal in the country.
The agents were even expecting the warehouse to be full of hot cars.
However, only two RHD vehicles were found -- a Toyota Lucida and a Honda Civic.
When agents arrived at the warehouse, it was abandoned.
No caretakers were around and the gates and doors were unlocked.
The warehouse used to be a mosquito coil factory.
There were several boxes containing mosquito coils that did not pass quality control.
Shadowy
Mandawe believes the cars were unloaded from container vans and were installed with dark tint so that these could be driven without being detected.
He said the sheets of discarded tint lying around the warehouse were proof of this.
Residents also told Sun.Star Cebu that they already noticed trucks with container vans entering the compound.
They said it was odd that they only saw trucks enter the warehouse but several shiny cars would later drive out.
A barangay councilwoman also said that this has been going on for the last four years.
While an investigation is still going on, the Consolacion police under Senior Inspector Resty Santos was instructed to secure the warehouse.
Santos told Sun.Star Cebu that he would assign some men to conduct roving patrols in the area, while barangay officials assured him they would also keep watch. (With AIV/Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(January 14, 2006 issue)
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