The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) dismantled on Thursday a clandestine laboratory used in the manufacture of shabu and ecstacy in Batangas and arrested eight people, including four Chinese.
PDEA Director General Aaron N. Aquino identified the four Chinese as Xie Jiansheng, Hong Dy, Tian Baoquan and Guo Zixing. Hong, Tian and Gou are chemists.
Aquino also identified their Filipino cohorts as Nestor Baguio, Eduardo Lorenzo, 59, an electrician, Rosaleo Cesar alias Leo, 49, a driver, and Amancio Gallarde, 40.
The raid, which was supported by a search warrant, was carried out inside the Hingoso Farm at Barangay Santo Niño, Ibaan, Batangas.
Aquino said the discovery and dismantling of the laboratory was a result of the intelligence support provided by the Office of the National Narcotics Control Commission (ONNCC), Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, People’s Republic of China to the PDEA.
“A tip-off from ONNCC was first relayed to PDEA International Cooperation and Foreign Affairs Service [ICFAS] that Chinese chemists are flying in and out of the country from September to October 2017,” Aquino said.
He added Xie, who was believed to be the handler and manager of the chemists, returned to the country, in particular, Cebu City, from Guanzhou, China on February 24, before he traveled to Manila by taking a ship.
Xie later visited a suspected shabu laboratory in La Union and stayed temporarily in Tagaytay City.
“Three more Chinese chemists arrived in Manila from Jinjiang, Fujian province, China on March 6. Straight from the airport, they were fetched by the same guy,” Aquino said, adding the four all proceeded to Tagaytay City.
Tian, Guo, Lorenzo, Cesar and Gallarde were arrested during the raid in Ibaan.
The PDEA operatives seized large amounts of controlled precursors and essential chemicals used in the manufacture of shabu and ecstacy during the operation.
“The shabu laboratory has the capacity to produce 25 kilos or P125 million worth of shabu in one day,” Aquino stated.
A separate operation resulted in the arrest of Hong Dy and Baguio in Lipa City, also in Batangas.
Hours later, a follow-up operation was carried out which resulted in the arrest of Xie at Merry Homes, Barangay Francisco, Tagaytay City.
Xie yielded 500 grams of suspected shabu worth P2.5 million.
Aquino said Xie, Tian, Gou and Hong, who put up the shabu laboratory, in collusion with their Filipino cohorts, are connected to the infamous “Golden Triangle.”
He added the Golden Triangle is notoriously known as the world’s foremost drug-producing region operating near the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
Aquino said per Chinese intelligence reports, the shabu and ecstasy producing laboratory was organized by a Hong kong-based drug kingpin.