Local connections may involve officials
The PNP may soon be able to identify and arrest the members of the drug syndicate that succeeded in establishing a shabu laboratory in the secluded island sitio of Badi, barangay Binagasbasan, Garchitorena, Camarines Sur.
Taiwanese nationals were believed to be the financiers and suppliers of the drug ring.
Police Senior Supt. Romeo N. Tambungui, the recently installed PNP Provincial Director for Camarines Sur, said that no one was apprehended at the shabu lab site when PNP conducted the raid last July 7 but investigation is going on in earnest to pinpoint members of the drug syndicate and their tie-ups.
Accomplices may include local officials, residents and even the PNP, observers said.
The PNP may soon be able to identify and arrest the members of the drug syndicate that succeeded in establishing a shabu laboratory in the secluded island sitio of Badi, barangay Binagasbasan, Garchitorena, Camarines Sur.
70 kilos of shabu materials estimated to be worth about Php 100 million were seized during the raid.
Drug syndicate members were believed to have been hastily tipped off of the impending raid and decided to bury assorted shabu materials and paraphernalia before eluding the raiding team.
Dug up and seized by the raiding team at the laboratory site were 35 kgs. ephedrine, 150 kgs. sodium hydroxide and 320 liters hydrochloride. Also found were 8 pieces big casseroles, 1 piece stainless processing tank, 1 big glass bottle, 1 piece compressor, 1 ceramic funnel, and 1 bag self-sealing transparent plastic bags.
Involvement of some residents and even officials from Garchitorena, Caramoan and nearby Catanduanes province is being investigated as reports continue to pour in from those who had witnessed the establishment of the shabu laboratory. Observers said it was improbable that the Garchitorena PNP had no knowledge of the illegal activity.
That syndicate members were able to elude the raiding team already indicated tie-ups with local residents, it was also pointed out.
Sometime in November last year, a former Caramoan town official informed MONITOR that he had received reports that a drug syndicate could be establishing a laboratory in an island in Garchitorena with the suspected participation of some residents from Caramoan. A Caramoan resident engaged in buying and selling marine products was suspected to be involved after the number of his motorboats increased and non-fishing paraphernalia were seen near his house.
The same Caramoan resident was frequently seen bound to Quinalasag Island on the eastern side directly facing the Pacific Ocean where sitio Badi is located. His motorboats were seen loaded with paraphernalia seized at the shabu laboratory site, witnesses said.
