P200-M shabu seized in Caloocan; 2 Chinese arrested

MANILA, Philippines -  Police arrested yesterday two Chinese nationals and confiscated from them at least 40 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) with an estimated street value of P200 million during a drug bust in Caloocan City.

Dave Go and Nian Qinguo, alias Ian Go, did not resist arrest when National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) operatives collared them at the corner of 6th Avenue and D. Aquino street at around 4 p.m.

Each of the suspects drove a car – a maroon Toyota Innova (NOM-179) and a silver Toyota RAV 4 (WKT-66) – to the site and had a traveling bag to carry the drugs.

Go’s RAV 4 yielded 19 plastic bags while 21 more bags were found in Nian’s Innova. Two cell phones were also seized from the suspects.

NCRPO chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said they were able to “establish contact” with the suspects through their companions, who were arrested last month for possession of six kilos of shabu.

He said they “are still trying to arrest” the suspects’ remaining companions. “Definitely, they are members of a big-time drug syndicate but we could not yet pinpoint the specific group,” Bartolome said.

The inventory of the confiscated drugs was witnessed by Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Ladao, city police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, and city assistant prosecutor Darwin Canete.

Nian and Go were charged with the transport and sale of illegal drugs. Canete recommended the suspects be held without bail.  – With Jerry Botial, Pete Laude