Chinese and Philippine police have cracked a large international
drug producing and trafficking ring, seizing one ton of ephedrine
and 350 kilograms of crystallized methamphetamine (commonly known
as "ice").
Fifteen suspects have been captured in China and five in the
Philippines, said Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the anti-narcotics
bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, at a press conference in
Beijing on Tuesday.
Police have also seized nearly 10,000 cases of chemicals and a
lot of equipment in a drug plant covering 3,000 square meters in
Philippines, Liu said.
"The case is a good example of international anti-drug
cooperation. In addition to Philippine authorities, police from
China's Fujian, Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hong
Kong also took part in the investigation," said Liu.
He said that police in Fujian began to investigate a drug
smuggling case involving the Philippines in July. In September,
police from the two countries set up a joint detective team, to
track down a major drug smuggler named Shao Chuntian, who was
wanted by police in China and in several Southeastern Asian
countries.
In November, police found that Shao had smuggled one ton of
ephedrine to China and set up a plant in Philippines to produce
"ice."
On December 19, Philippine police captured three Chinese
suspects at Manila airport and two Philippine suspects in the
plant. At the same time, Chinese police seized Shao Chuntian and
another 14 Chinese suspects in Quanzhou City of Fujian
Province.
Shao, carrying a Chinese passport, is a well-known drug kingpin
in southeastern Asia, said Fu Shijie, head of the anti-drug team of
the Public Security Bureau of Fujian Province.
Shao started to produce drugs in Philippines as early as 2001.
His plant was shut down by local police in December 2004 after a
fire fight between police and workers in the plant.
Shao then hid in Manila, and helped others manufacture 600
kilograms of drugs at that time. Then he fled to Fujian Province.
He resumed the drug business this year, Fu said.
Police are investigating where the drug producing materials and
equipment in this case came from, said Fu.
One ton of ephedrine can be used to produce several hundred
kilograms of "ice," and one kilogram of "ice" can be sold at a
wholesale price of 300,000 yuan in China, Fu added.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)
