PDEA tags Subic as hub for illegal drugs

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has tagged Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales province as a transhipment point of illegal drugs from several countries in Asia.

“At least we proved that Subic is being used as a transhipment point,” PDEA Director Dionisio Santiago said, referring to the confiscation of 770 kilos of shabu in the freeport zone this week.

He said aside from methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, the former American naval base is also being used as transhipment point for the rave drug "Ecstasy."

The PDEA chief said long before the big haul, the anti-narcotics agency had been receiving reports that Subic is being used by international drug syndicates as a transhipment point.

He said PDEA was not able to penetrate the drug shipments in Subic because “team work among law enforcement agencies is not solid.”

Meanwhile, administrator Armand Arreza of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority admitted that the 770-kilo shabu haul is big. He, however, said Santiago is just speculating.

Arezza said the only thing certain in the drug shipment’s seizure is that SBMA law enforcers “are working properly” because they were the ones who discovered the illegal cargo.

Who's who

The SBMA administrator also clarified conflicting reports about the shabu haul.

He said the first shipment of shabu was discovered by SBMA security people on Sunday.

He said 90 kilos of shabu were seized while being unloaded from a “cigarette boat” into a van.

“The company involved is engaged in cigarette repacking. They tranship [the cigarettes] to Vietnam, Taiwan and China,” he said.

At least 600 kilos shabu were seized in a follow-up operation on Wednesday at the Hualong International Trading of a Chinese national named Anthony Ang.

The rest of the contraband was discovered by officials of the SBMA and Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group floating on the river near the warehouse.

Authorities estimate the haul at P4.8 billion.

Shifting back to exportation

Santiago said the Subic haul proves PDEA’s theory that international drug syndicates have started shifting back to exportation.

“Law enforcement agencies had successful operation [on shabu laboratories inside the country]. They are not returning to exportation,” he said.

He added that aside from China, international drug syndicates in Korea had also started entering the drug exportation business.

Santiago said the PDEA is working with its international counterparts to stop the transhipments of shabu from the country.

He said PDEA is still monitoring a few remaining foreign drug traffickers in the country that are engaged in shabu laboratory operations.

“Definitely we know their movements,” Santiago said. ABS CBN NEWS