PDEA nabs 2 suspects in Malabon shabu lab raid

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Friday morning dismantled a suspected shabu warehouse in Tinajeros, Malabon City and nabbed two suspects including a Chinese-Filipino.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said this was a follow-up operation on the shabu laboratory in a 1.3-hectare livestock farm in Barangay Sto. Niño in the municipality of Ibaan, Batangas where four Chinese and four other Filipino cohorts were arrested.

"Nag-conduct kami ng follow-up operations ngayong umaga at nabangga nga natin itong another drug laboratory, ang nadiskubre natin dito is first time na ang isang drug lab ay magiging production is more on the psychotropic substances which means na its more on the MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) o yung tinatawag natin na mga ecstasy," he said.

ATM: PDEA dismantled shabu/ ecstasy warehouse in 3-11 Dela Cruz Street, Tinajeros, Malabon City. 2 suspects were arrested including 1 chinese national. Seized were suspected chemicals used in the manufacture of shabu and ecstasy.#PDEATopStories#PDEAinAction pic.twitter.com/kuqGp1GkNt

— PDEA (@PdeaTopStories) April 13, 2018

Seized during the raid were suspected chemicals used in the manufacture of shabu and ecstasy including Safrole, which Aquino said is a main ingredient in manufacturing ecstasy.

Aquino said the arrested suspects in Batangas and Malabon may be connected to the infamous "Golden Triangle"  – notoriously known as a drug-producing region operating near the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

"Ito po ay connected sa Golden Triangle syndicate, ito'y isang international drug syndicate na medyo lumalakas po sila [sa] pag-smuggle at pagluto ng droga dtio sa ating bansa," Aquino said. — RSJ, GMA News