Pubdate: Tue, 20 Dec 2005
Source: People's Tonight (Philippines)
Copyright: Journal Group 2005
Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp
Website: http://www.journal.com.ph
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3454
Author: Rudy J. Abular & Bernard Galang
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

P50-M SHABU CHEMICALS SEIZED

ANGELES City -- Police yesterday seized P50 million worth of chemicals
and equipment used in the manufacture of shabu during a raid at a
clandestine laboratory inside a posh subdivision here.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Gerado Antonio Santos of
the Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 62, Senior Supt.
Policarpio Segubre, city police director, led the raid along Palo
Santo St., in Woodland Drive, Carmenville Subdivision.

The raiding team discovered that the place was already abandoned. It
was learned that the house was rented by a certain Tony Chua, a
Chinese national. Chua is now being sought by the police for
questioning.

Chief Supt. Alejandro Lapinid, Central Luzon police director,
inspected the shabu lab along with SOCO personnel from the Regional
Police Office 3 based in Camp Olivas.

"Siguro natunugan ng mga tao rito na nalaman na ng mga pulis ang
kanilang lugar kaya tumakbo na sila," Lapinid told Journal in an interview.

He said the suspects abandoned the place leaving behind hundreds of
gallons of acetone and precursors used in making shabu.

Police also found 15 equipment, including huge glass flasks and rotary
evaporators and water pumps stored in a room.

"We suspect that the place was also being used by the syndicate as
storage of equipment used in manufacturing the illegal drugs," Lapinid
said.

He said that the suspects are reportedly involved in large scale
manufacturing of illegal drugs as evidence by the number of equipments
found inside the house.

"Siguro dito nila inimbak ang mga kagamitan nila na pinag-aalis sa mga
nahuling laboratoryo ng sindikato sa iba't ibang lugar sa Metro Manila
at Central Luzon noong kasagsagan ng kampanya ng gobyerno laban sa
ilegal na droga," he said.

Segubre said he placed the area under heavy surveillance after
receiving a tip from an informant about the presence of the shabu lab
two weeks ago. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Tom