‘Golden Triangle ring still a threat’

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese-run Golden Triangle syndicate remains a threat, but the government is taking steps to reduce its influence in the country, anti-narcotics officials said yesterday.

The drug syndicate, which is based in China and Hong Kong, is believed to be behind the smuggling of illegal drugs in the country, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.

The drug ring gets its supply from Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon told a news briefing.

Carreon said the African drug syndicate, which employs drug couriers, and the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel, which distributes banned narcotics through their counterparts in Asia, are the other threats.

Col. Dionisio Bartolome Jr., Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group director, confirmed that the Golden Triangle is still a threat as it continues to supply illegal drugs in the country.

The Marcos administration focuses on the rehabilitation of users to reduce the demand for illegal drugs.

Carreon said the thrust of the President is to give importance to demand reduction while targeting top drug rings.

Illegal drugs seized in anti-narcotics operations valued at P4.51 billion were destroyed through thermal decomposition at the Integrated Waste Management Inc. in Barangay Aguado in Trece Martires, Cavite yesterday.

Among the items destroyed were 725.08 kilos of shabu, 530 kilos of which were seized by the National Bureau of Investigation in Mexico, Pampanga in September last year.

At least 535.35 kilos of marijuana, 3.21 kilos of the party drug Ecstasy and 7.42 kilos of cocaine were also destroyed.

Meanwhile, in Maguindanao del Norte, shabu with an estimated street value of P2 million was seized from Fahad and Faisal, both surnamed Sapal, in Barangay Simuan in Sultan Kudarat town yesterday, Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director, said.

Local officials urged authorities to check if the suspects have links with the terrorist group Dawla Islamiyah.