Yu Yuk Lai ‘heavily involved’ in drug trade while in jail —PDEA

Drug queen Yu Yuk Lai remained active in drug trafficking despite her incarceration at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City.

Ruel Lasala, deputy director for operation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), said that the operation conducted against Yu Yuk Lai at the Correctional on Monday morning was based on information that she is still involved in the drug trade despite her detention.

"May information ang Bureau of Correction, may information din ang NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) at PDEA. 'Pag pinagsama mo ang impormasyon na 'yun, nagpu-point lang sa isa, na si Yuk Lai Yu is heavily involved sa distribution ng illegal drugs," Lasala said in a report by Emil Sumangil on 24 Oras.

PDEA operatives seized from her more than P15 million worth of shabu including two kilos of suspected shabu in packs and jars worth P4.5 million; 135 grams of suspected shabu sewn in 27 pieces of panty liners worth P945,000; one million pieces of empty capsules; a million pieces of capsules containing suspected drugs.

Also recovered were 19 pieces of checks amounting to P633,593 and a blank check book; five ATM cards; and a bank account with a deposit of P1,501,934.36.

The drug queen, however, denied that she was keeping drugs at her cell. "Meron shabu? Wala, totoo wala 'yun! Walang shabu dito. Prisoner dito, walang shabu."

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the illegal drug trade flourished at the Correctional due to bribery and the lax security being implemented at the detention facility.

"Dapat may series of inspection bago makapasok hindi 'yung from outside papasok na wala man lang inspection? Hindi man lang tsini-check 'yung mga bag, bagahe. Hindi man lang fini-freeze. Basta nagkakaroon ng bayaran, nagkakaperahan sa loob," Aquino said.

Yu Yuk Lai was arrested along with her newphew Willam Sy in 1998 after selling three kilograms of shabu during a buy-bust operation.

In the year 2000, she was caught by operatives of the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force playing at a hotel casino when she was supposed to be under hospital arrest. —Anna Felicia Bajo/ALG, GMA News