The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has filed criminal charges against the three Chinese and two Taiwanese nationals who were arrested in the shabu laboratories of a transnational drug syndicate in Quezon and Laguna last Wednesday.
Charges of violation of Section 8, Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act for the manufacture of illegal drugs, were filed against Chiu Lu Hsian, Wu Jung Hsien, Lin Hai Jung, Weng Shi Chiang and Wu Chih Yang before the special prosecutor’s office of PDEA’s Metro Manila Regional Office (MMRO) last Thursday.
PDEA officials said all five suspects, now detained at the custodial facility of MMRO, were caught in the act of mixing chemicals at a clandestine shabu lab in Sitio Arcao, Barangay Maragondon in Real, Quezon and at a warehouse at Filinvest South Subdivision in Biñan, Laguna.
During the twin raids, PDEA agents seized some P300 million worth of liquid shabu, essential chemicals used in manufacturing the illegal drug, and equipment.
A Filipino was reportedly among those arrested but authorities have yet to verify his identity.
PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago said the shabu labs were maintained by the An Chang group, which has links to the transnational Chin Shan Lin drug syndicate.
PDEA agents conducted the simultaneous raids on the strength of search warrants issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Thelma Ponferrada.
PDEA has so far busted four shabu labs this year.