NBI closing on shabu haul brains

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now closing-in on the alleged "brains" of the 250-kilo shabu haul seized from a condominium unit in Pasay City last Dec. 26.

This after the NBI’s Special Task Force (STF) invited yesterday for questioning a male lathe machine operator in Valenzuela.

STF head Max Salvador said the lathe operator whom he refused to identify was the "dummy" owner of the condominium unit in Pasay City which was used by suspected members of the 14-K drug syndicate as a storeroom for the drugs.

According to Salvador, the lathe machine operator was allegedly forced by his former shop boss, a male Filipino-Chinese, to sign a deed of assignment that virtually transferred the ownership of the condominium unit from suspect Sandra Lim to him.

Lim, alias Sandra Cam and Sandra de Villa, is still the subject of an NBI manhunt. According to the NBI, the information given by the lathe machine owner could now lead agents to the whereabouts of Lim and the other Filipino-Chinese suspect.

"With the new information given us, we are now closing-in on Lim and the other members of her group," said Salvador.

Salvador said the syndicates transferred the ownership of the condominium unit to the lathe machine operator with the aim of concealing their drug operations.

It will be recalled that agents of the NBI-STF discovered the drugs worth at least P500 million, when they raided unit 706 of the Somerset Mansions Tower along Leveriza street.

Initial investigation showed that the unit was registered to Lim. Aside from the drugs, agents also seized ammunition, several assault rifles, bullet proof vests and grenades inside the unit.

Also arrested during the raid was Geron delos Santos, 21, a dismissed janitor of the condominium and alleged "runner" of the drug syndicate. Delos Santos, however, failed to tell agents where Lim and her cohorts are hiding.

According to the supervisors of the condominium, the unit has been left unattended by its tenant since October last year.

Meanwhile, Salvador said that information at hand show that Lim is still in the country. The NBI added that Lim’s group maintains several drug "warehouses" in Metro Manila. Salvador added that they are also looking into the angle that Lim’s operation is linked with the activities of Lawrence Wang, a top drug pusher also associated with the 14-K syndicate. Wang is now reportedly out of the country. – Mike Frialde