Taiwan crime gang’s arms cache found in Rockwell condo

MANILA, Philippines — High-powered firearms and ammunition allegedly owned by members of a Taiwanese crime syndicate were seized by police at a condominium building in Makati City on Monday night.

Armed with a search warrant, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) raided a unit on the 15th floor of a condominium building along Rockwell Drive at around 6:10 p.m.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. said 84 firearms of different calibers and hundreds of bullets were seized at the residence of Jiang Zhang Xiadong, the suspected leader of a criminal syndicate based in Taiwan involved in illegal drugs, telecom fraud and other illegal activities.

The seized firearms consist of 13 5.56 caliber rifles, 12 revolvers, 53 pistols and six sub-machine guns.

Speaking to reporters in a news briefing at Camp Crame, Abalos said the raid was a follow-up to an operation in Makati last March 1 wherein four members of the syndicate – Wu Jheng Long, Chen Chien-Ning, Yang Zong Bao and Chen Chun-Yu – were arrested.

“These Taiwanese fugitives are considered undocumented aliens and illegal entrants in the Philippines, and their presence in the country is deemed as a serious security threat,” Abalos said.

CIDG director Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. said they had been monitoring the suspects for several months after receiving information from law enforcement authorities in Taiwan about the suspects’ presence in the country.

Citing their investigation, Caramat said the firearms were purchased from several individuals whom he did not identify.

Caramat said the firearms are expensive, with a machine gun ranging in price from P300,000 to P500,000 each.

He said they were expecting to seize illegal drugs as one of the suspects arrested last March 1 was a drug chemist.

Caramat said they are also investigating the management of the building to find out how a large cache of firearms and ammunition was found on the property.