Cops raid 'chop shop' in Taguig

Manila, Philippines - Police officers raided a metal recycling firm’s warehouse in Taguig City Friday night and found several stolen cargo trucks and various truck parts and license plates.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Amor Reyes of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 21, the lawmen went into the warehouse of Anlud Metal Recycling Corp., whose entrance is located along a narrow alley of Daang Manunuso in Barangay Ibayong Tipas. The alleged “chop shop”is reportedly owned by Aquino Dee. The raiding team was composed of members of the Laguna Provincial Police, the Southern Police District (SPD), Taguig City Police, and the Highway Patrol Group.

According to Senior Superintendent Federico Castro, SPD director for operations, the warehouse was discovered because Samuel Orendain’s truck, which was carjacked by armed men in San Pedro, Laguna last Thursday, has a GPS (global positioning system) tracking device, which enabled the police and its owner to pinpoint the vehicle’s exact location.

“Definitely, the owner of the compound will be held liable,” Castro said in an interview.

Among the vehicles the police recovered are three Fusu wing vans, one of them Orendain’s. The two other vans bear license plates UNE-465 and RHY-272. A Nissan bus (RJE-827) and an Isuzu cargo truck (WCE-150) were also recovered at the warehouse along with dismantled automotive parts and registration plates.

Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Laguna provincial director, said most of the vehicles were stolen from the Calabarzon region, particularly in Laguna. The other vehicles, meanwhile, were carjacked in Metro Manila and Pampanga province.

“This is where they dismantle the trucks, this is where they modify its physical features so they can sell it to another buyer,” Cruz told The STAR.

Barangay chairman Reynaldo Flores, who has been in office since 2002, told The STAR he did not know that stolen trucks were stored in the warehouse, which reportedly covers a hectare.

Barangay police Armando Raquel echoed Flores’ statement but added that he has been hearing gossip that “illegal activities” were going on inside the compound.