NCRPO coordinates with Chinese police on P500-M shabu raid

MANILA, Philippines –  The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is coordinating with the Chinese police following last Friday’s seizure of at least P500 million worth of shabu from a clandestine laboratory in a Malabon City townhouse, an official said yesterday.

NCRPO chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said although no arrests were made when police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided Unit 1 of the Silverwood Townhouse in Barangay Potrero, they found out the unit was rented out to Chinese nationals Qing Gou Nian and Dave Go, who were arrested in a Caloocan City drug bust two days before the raid.

In the Caloocan City bust, the NCRPO seized at least 40 kilos of shabu from Qing and Go. The seized shabu has a street value of at least P200 million.

Bartolome said they are coordinating with Chinese authorities and the Bureau of Immigration to determine the extent of the suspects’ drug operation in the Philippines. He said the laboratory could just be the “tip of a big iceberg.”

He said the NCRPO is looking at Qing and Go’s possible connection to Chinese nationals Wendun Chen, 45; and Lianfu Chen, 56, who were arrested last month in Paco for allegedly trying to sell six kilos of shabu worth at least P27 million. “Of course they are denying that they know each other but we have an informant who says otherwise,” Bartolome said.

Bartolome said the NCRPO and the PDEA are preparing to charge Qing and Go with drug trafficking.

Bartolome said the raided shabu laboratory in Malabon City could have yielded more than P500 million worth of shabu. “That (P500 million) is just the worth of the liquid shabu we seized. That liquid shabu still has to be processed into crystals before it could be sold. However, the amount of precursor chemicals found in the laboratory could still yield more shabu,” said Bartolome.

The Malabon City government directed yesterday its 21 barangay leaders to closely coordinate with their respective homeowners’ groups and the local police to help detect the presence of criminals in their respective barangays.

Mayor Canuto Oreta urged owners of any establishment for rent to require their prospective tenants to acquire a police clearance or a barangay clearance before accepting them. City public information officer Bong Padua said the process would help discourage criminals from renting high-end apartments or townhouses.

Silverwood residents said Qing and Go rented the unit for P21,000 a month and paid in full for one year’s stay.

Padua also urged residents to be wary of new neighbors and report to the barangay officials any “uncommon activity” they may observe.   – With Pete Laude