PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino. INQUIRER file photo / EDWIN BACASMAS
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has uncovered proof that will link the multi-billion smuggled shabu intercepted at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) with those shabu recovered from various anti-drug operations.
According to the investigation report of PDEA released on Saturday, the drug samples found at MICP were “highly similar” to the samples confiscated during operations in Maguindanao, Quezon City, Manila, and Muntinlupa City.
“Based on the chromatographic impurity profiles and cluster analysis between samples from the intercepted shipment in MICP and bulk shabu seizures from recent entrapment operations conducted by PDEA […], show that they are of high similarity, indicating strong correlation among them,” PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said in a statement, citing the investigation done by the agency.
The study was conducted at the PDEA Laboratory.
In August, operatives of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and PDEA first intercepted nearly 500 kilograms of shabu at MICP, North Harbor port in Manila.
Estimated value of the said shabu is at P4.3 billion.
READ: BOC intercepts nearly 500 kilos of ‘shabu’ worth P4.3B
Days after that, authorities found four empty magnetic lifters in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite and was believed to be similar to the one seized at MICP.
The second drug incident has an estimated value of P6.8 billion.
READ: BOC: 4 magnetic lifters in Cavite tested negative for shabu
Aquino also maintained the stand of PDEA that the four empty magnetic lifters contained drugs and that the two incidents were connected.
“To this day, PDEA maintains that the four magnetic lifters found in GMA, Cavite contained shabu and stands by its K9 capability,” he said.
“PDEA is also convinced that the magnetic lifters found in MICP and Cavite bore close resemblance and are connected to one another,” Aquino added. /jpv