Subic investors hit drug raids

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Investors in this special economic zone have expressed dismay over raids conducted by the Narcotics Group (NarGroup) on two warehouses in search of shabu since Thursday night.

Fifteen NarGroup agents, led by their director, Chief Superintendent Efren Fernandez, swooped down on the warehouses of Ever Rich International and Bollard International in Buildings 1026 and 1036, respectively, but found only 20 grams of the illegal drug in the former.

The raids were based on an order by Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Enrico Lazanas, who ruled there were "good reasons to believe" the report of Inspector Erano de la Cruz Aquino, of the NarGroup’s anti-drug trafficking division, that some 100 kilos of shabu had been shipped here.

The search warrant named one Alvin Ong and Darrie Dacurro of Bollard as among the targets of the raids.

But lawyer Engelbert Balingit, counsel of Ever Rich, described as "baseless" allegations that the Filipino-Taiwanese firm was involved in drug transshipment.

Balingit said the 20 grams of shabu allegedly found in a crate could have only been "planted" to justify the raid.

Virgie Abella, chief operating officer of Ever Rich, said the company is engaged in a legitimate business here, with foreign investors as part-owners.

"The motive could be political to besmirch the good reputation of the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) under the leadership of Chairman Felicito Payumo," Abella said.

In an initial report, the NarGroup said the seizure of 20 grams of shabu in the Ever Rich warehouse hinted that it could possibly be used to repack large quantities of shabu.

Fourteen people, including three foreign executives of Ever Rich, were temporarily held. The three were Australian David Huyn, 32, administrative officer; Malaysian Tan Ah Sheng, 47, shipping director; and Taiwanese Tsai Fu Shou, 57, warehouse manager.

The Bureau of Customs sent yesterday an X-ray machine to determine the contents of some 200 crates in the Ever Rich bodega but those examined so far were found to contain cigarettes.

The search also employed drug-sniffing dogs but yielded no additional quantity of shabu.

NarGroup agents also searched the Bollard warehouse but their efforts were still fruitless.

Two fishing vessels from China which docked here last Tuesday — F/V Yuel Luk Yuen and F/V Min Shi Yui — were also searched due to reports that they were carrying shabu and smuggled cigarettes.

The searches yielded nothing, but the vessels were held for further verification. — Ding Cervantes, Bebot Sison Jr. and Ric Sapnu