100 kilos of the “poor man’s cocaine” shabu (meth) were found in a posh gated community in Metro Manila’s Muntinlupa City yesterday following a raid by authorities.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) first executed a buy-bust operation in the Festival Mall parking lot at around 5:30pm where they caught three Chinese nationals in the possession of about 40 kilos of suspected meth, Rappler reported.
They then raided a house in the nearby gated community Ayala Alabang where they found more than 100 kilos of the suspected drugs. True to the area’s posh aesthetic, the drugs were hidden inside tea boxes and cookie tins, according to ABS-CBN News.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said that items with similar packaging have been seized in other countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, GMA News reported.
The PDEA said they recovered a total of 166 kilograms of meth from the buy-bust operation and raid, which amounts to about PHP1.13 billion (US$21.3 million).
Authorities also arrested another Chinese national inside the house. The suspects were identified as Chinese citizens Emmanuel Pascual, 79; Chia Kian Kok, 43; Wuyi, 19; and Go Kei Kei, 40, GMA News reported. Pascual denied involvement in the illegal drug operation.
According to ABS-CBN News, the four men are suspected to be part of the Chinese Golden Triangle syndicate.
Authorities are investigating if this drug operation is linked to the two Chinese nationals killed in a suspected drug warehouse in Tanza, Cavite last month. Found inside the warehouse was PHP1.9 billion (US$35.9 million) worth of shabu.
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