By DHEL NAZARIO
FOUR Hong Kong nationals believed to be members of an international drug syndicate were arrested while about Php544 million worth of shabu was confiscated Tuesday night by operatives of the Pasay City Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during a raid on a condominium unit being used as a drug laboratory.
On the strength of a search warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 52 Judge Thelma Bunyi Medina, authorities raided Unit 16-G on 16th floor of Tower 2 Ocean Air at Sunrise Drive corner Pacific Drive in Pasay at 7:30 p.m.
PDEA identified the arrested suspects as Lam King Wah, 35; Wong Ka Lok, 38; Lam Wing Bun, 52; and Lam Ming Sun, 56, alleged members of an international drug syndicate.
Bun and Sun are chemists, according to operatives.
Investigation showed that prior to the implementation of the search warrant, Pasay City police received a telephone call from PDEA agent Joel Villorente requesting police assistance.
During the operation, PDEA agents recovered more or less 70 kilos of shabu ready for disposal and approximately 10 kilos of liquid shabu with an estimated street value of Php544 million.
They also recovered equipment used in manufacturing shabu.
The operation was led by PDEA Director Aaron Aquino and was witnessed by village councilmen of Barangay 76.
Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto as well as Vice Mayor Noel del Rosario and Pasay City Police Chief Senior Supt. Noel Flores arrived at the area for the presentation of the result of the operation.
Aquino said that the shabu laboratory they dismantled was set up by the suspects who are allegedly connected to the Hong Kong based-14K or Hong Kong Triad drug syndicate. (with a report from Alexandria San Juan)
