Manhunt on for shabu laboratories financier

MANILA, Philippines - Police have launched a manhunt against an alleged financier of a Chinese drug syndicate that reportedly maintains at least three shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratories in Metro Manila.

Chiu Bing Hung, who was arrested in a drug bust last March 4 in Binondo, led Manila police officers and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to a kitchen-type shabu laboratory in a room at the top floor of the four-story Royal Entreprises residential building in Binondo last Saturday.

Chiu said Peter Ang Chou rented the room, where lawmen seized at least three kilos of high-grade and unfinished shabu with a street value of P30 million. However, Chou was nowhere in the room at the time of the raid.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who led the raid, ordered the release of Chou’s photo to the media “so the public may be aware of the identity of the syndicate’s financier.”

The shabu laboratory was concealed behind the master bedroom’s closet.

PDEA director Dionisio Santiago said drug syndicates are resorting to “kitchen-type” operations to escape detection.

A barangay official said the four Chinese occupants of the room go to the place only at night. Police also recovered bales of Chinese food ingredients in the room, which they believe the syndicate uses as a front.

Chiu, who has a tiger tattoo on his chest, is believed to be a chemist of the Tiger Group of the Chinese drug syndicate, according to Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut.

During interrogation, Chiu identified two more clandestine shabu laboratories in Quezon City operated by the syndicate, Yabut said.

Manila Police District director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales said he is looking into Chou's possible link to two Chinese nationals arrested in a raid on a shabu laboratory in Navotas City last Thursday.