ANTI-NARCOTICS operatives arrested Tuesday evening, March 19, four Chinese nationals and seized P1.1 billion worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) in an operation in a posh subdivision in Ayala Alabang.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino identified the arrested suspects as Emmanuel Pascual, 79; Chia Kian Kok, 43; Wuyi, 19; and Go Kei Kei, 40.
The arrest came after PDEA agents raided Tuesday evening a “residence-turned-drug-laboratory” on Apitong Street., Ayala Alabang Village. The house is owned by a certain Josephine Ong.
Confiscated during the operation were at least 166 kilograms of shabu hidden in packs of tea bags and cans of biscuits.
Pascual denied awareness and involvement in illegal drug transactions.
Aquino believe the suspects have links to the Golden Triangle drug syndicate, which operates in Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
"Mayroon na rin tayong seizures ng mga ganitong same packaging somewhere sa Mindanao. Kaya naging assessment namin dito, dumaan ito sa coastline. Shipside smuggling ito na galing sa Golden Triangle Region," he said.
(We have also seized drugs concealed in the same packaging somewhere in Mindanao. Our assessment on this is this passed through the coastline. This is shipside smuggling from the Golden Triangle Region.)
"Kasi ito 'yung signature ng Golden Triangle Region na nagkaroon din ng mga seizures sa ibang bansa katulad ng Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, ganoon din. Malaki ang possibility na galing sa Golden Triangle Region itong mga shabu na ito (This is a signature of the Golden Triangle Region, based on seizures done in Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar. There is a big possibility that this shabu came from the Golden Triangle Region)...So this is ready for delivery maybe tonight or early morning tomorrow. It's good that we are able to detect the movement group," he added.
Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the four arrested suspects, while the PDEA is also looking at the possibility of charging Ong. (SunStar Philippines)