MANILA — A kilogram of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride was seized in a raid in the New Bilibid Prison on Thursday, reportedly the biggest confiscation in the facility’s history.
Supt. Richard Schwarzkopf Jr., NBP head, said the suspected shabu was contained in a bag placed inside a ceiling of Dorm 5A, Quadrant 4, of the maximum security compound.
The Sige Sige Sputnik gang resides in that dormitory.
Schwarzkopf said apart from the bag, authorities also confiscated nine sachets of suspected shabu in the raid, which started around 5 a.m.
“This is the first time we confiscated suspected drugs as many as these,” Schwarzkopf said, although he could not say how much the supposed drugs were worth.
He said in Building 9a in Quadrant 2, the authorities also found two bullets of a 12-gauge shotgun on the roof, and electronic gadgets.
Also confiscated during the Oplan Galugad raid–the 21st so far since November last year–were a 9 mm. pistol, a .cal. 22 pistol, and a .45 cal. pistol.
“But appliances, there aren’t as many anymore,” Schwarzkopf said.
According to Schwarzkopf, security measures, such as X-ray machines and metal detectors, remain in place to prevent contraband from entering the facility.
He said several prison personnel “only” needed to be trained to man the machines, which he hoped would curb the entry of prohibited items.
“Especially the shabu. That’s one of the things we want to stop from entering,” he said.
He added the Oplan Galugad raids, which have involved “hundreds” of prison personnel searching inmate dormitories, were apart from the regular searches done by only a team of 10 people.
“The NBP is supposed to house only 6,000 inmates, but we have more or less 15,000 already. But we are doing what we can,” Schwarzkopf said. SFM