P7.5B WORTH OF SHABU CHEMICALS SEIZED IN VALENZUELA RAID

Gloria Visits Raided Warehouse, Says Report on RP As One of World's
Biggest Shabu Makers Means More Need to Be Done in Anti-Illegal Drugs
Campaign

AN ESTIMATED P7.5 billion worth of shabu chemicals were confiscated in
a raid conducted by joint operatives of PNP-Anti Illegal Drugs Task
Force (Aidtf) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEA) on a
warehouse in Villa Liwayway Subdivison, Valenzuela City Saturday night.

No one was arrested in the raid however as nobody was around.
President Arroyo Monday inspected the raided warehouse.

Seized were 147 drums containing various chemicals used in making
shabu, six sacks of sodium acetate, two high-capacity mechanical
driers, three hydro generators, two pressing machines, five water
pumps, nine packs of filter paper and one gallon of motor oil.

PNP-Aidtf chief Edgardo Aglipay said the raid was held at 6:30 p.m. on
the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Floro Alejo of
Valenzuela City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 172.

Aglipay said the warehouse supplies three shabu laboratories based in
Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Prior to the raid, firemen belong to the Valenzuela City fire station
responded to a fire alarm to the warehouse after receiving a call from
residents that thick smoke was coming from the establishment.
Firefighters indeed saw smoke and it came from two of the 147 drums
containing different shabu chemicals.

They subsequently sought the assistance of experts from the PNP Crime
Laboratory to determine what caused the smoke. Police experts said the
smoke was due to chemical reaction when the drums and substances it
contained became wet because of a heavy downpour during the past days.

Police immediately secured a search warrant from Judge Alejo and
confirmed that the seized chemicals such as thionyl chloride and
acetone are ingredients in the manufacture of shabu.

Aglipay said he dispatched a police team to locate the whereabouts of
the occupant and owner of the warehouse named Jimmy Coo Huo and Robert
Ang, respectively.

He said they will track down other members of the drug syndicate, to
which Huo and Ang belong. They are also looking into the possible
involvement of some government officials who helped the group smuggle
the drug items into the country.

Aglipay said the confiscated shabu chemicals will be used as evidence
in charges to be filed against those found involved in the illegal
undertaking.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo inspected the raided warehouse. She was
accompanied by Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes and PNP Deputy Director
for Administration and Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force chief Edgardo
Aglipay.

On a UN report identifying the Philippines as one of the top three
producers of shabu, Arroyo said it is a reminder that there's still
lot to be done to get rid of the illegal drug menace.

She directed the PNP to team up with the Philippines' international
allies and to "fight along all civilized nations" to further
strengthen the campaign.

"This is not only a domestic problem but one that we share with the
rest of humanity. The Filipino people fight alongside all civilized
nations on this issue," Arroyo added.

Aglipay in response said "Gagawin natin ang gusto ng ating Pangulo (we
will do what the President wants)."

The latest report from the UN World Drugs Report, a study commissioned
by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), showed that the
Philippines, Myanmar and China are the top three main sources of shabu.

The report said supply from Myanmar goes to Thailand, which has the
largest percentage of methamphetamine users in the world while that
from the Philippines is distributed as far as Australia and the United
States.

The report added that some of the supplies in the Philippines come
from China, while China points to Myanmar as one of their suppliers.

Filipinos are also the world's fourth biggest consumers of amphetamine
and methamphetamine, based on population percentage. About 2.8 percent
of Filipinos aged 15 to 24 are shabu users based on 2000 figures.

It also showed that Thailand has the biggest number of shabu users
with 5.4 percent of those in the same age group. Australia is second
with four percent, followed by New Zealand with 3.4 percent.

The report however said shabu consumption was down in the Philippines
as well as in Hong Kong and Indonesia but drug abuse was up in China
and Singapore.