All the way to China

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is determined to nab their targets, wherever they may be hiding.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said yesterday the bureau is now coordinating with their Chinese counterparts in tracking down two big-time shabu manufacturers who fled to China following successive raids on laboratories in Metro Manila.

"We have sought the help of Chinese authorities to find out where in China these suspects are hiding," Wycoco said.

According to the NBI, suspects Wang Yashi and Deng Xiao Li alias "Lucy" have fled the country following the discovery of shabu laboratories in Valenzuela City, Navotas and Quezon City in the last two months.

Last Friday, anti-narcotics agents of the NBI raided a shabu laboratory located in the posh residential area of New Manila, Quezon City.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Quezon City Judge Monina Zenarosa, the NBI agents, led by lawyer Ruel Lasala swooped down on the townhouse located at 6-F Sobrepeña street, Barangay Damayang Lagi at 10:30 a.m. They were joined by members of the Central Police District Intelligence Unit.

Found inside the house were about three kilos of shabu in liquid form and various shabu-making ingredients, including ephedrine and various acids. Also seized were two pumps used in drying shabu.

Last Dec. 14, combined agents of the NBI and the Philippine Enforcement Agency (PDEA) swooped down on a private warehouse in Navotas and seized at least P1 billion worth of chemicals suspected to be used in the manufacture of shabu.

Wycoco said the raid on the warehouse located at 1060 North Bay Boulevard was conducted following information that it supplied the materials for a shabu lab in Valenzuela City that was gutted by fire early last month.

Police found at least P2.2 billion worth of shabu in the razed lab. According to the PDEA, it was the biggest shabu-making facility discovered so far.

The NBI is also hunting down another suspect, a certain Randy Chua, the alleged owner of the New Manila townhouse which was converted into a shabu laboratory.

According to the NBI, Wang arrived in the country on Dec. 3 to check on the operations of the three shabu factories in Navotas, Valenzuela and New Manila. Wang however, left for China a day after the Valenzuela laboratory was destroyed by fire.

Wang left on Dec. 10 aboard a Cathay Pacific flight for China, Wycoco said.