P1.44 BILLION WORTH OF ILLEGAL DRUGS TORCHED

MORE than a ton of seized marijuana and methamphetamine hydrochloride
("shabu") with a street value of P1.44 billion was burned on Saturday at
Trece Martirez City, Cavite.

This is in compliance with President Gloria Arroyo's order last week to
destroy all drugs seized, under the tough anti-drugs campaign she launched
in June.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officials on Friday seized the
"mother of all shabu labs" in a one-hectare (2.47-acre) resort in nearby
Tanza town and arrested six undocumented Chinese.

The arrest of the drug suspects led authorities to a three-story seaside
mansion in barangay Capipisa in Tanza, Cavite, believed to be a drug
laboratory that manufactures shabu.

Arrested were alleged gambling lord Li Ya alias Jackson Dy, his wife Wang
Li Na and their cohorts Li Tian Hua, Yao Xiao Mei, Li Huo Long and Sy Suan
Hang.

Li Ya was arrested inside his condominium unit at the Bayview Tower on
Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.

Police officials described the laboratory as "state of the art" and said
that it is probably the biggest uncovered by police since 1997. The
laboratory had been under surveillance for five weeks before the raid was
carried out.

The raiders found drug-making equipment, chemicals, shabu ingredients and
finished products in the compound. They also confiscated two jet skis, a
yacht and a speedboat believed used to deliver the drugs.

Officials have speculated that the group may be exporting the manufactured
drugs offshore.

Residents tipped off the authorities after they noticed speedboats coming
in and out of the former beach resort. The new owners of the property also
raised the walls enclosing the compound and sealed porches with steel
barricades.