Chinese top foreign drug traders, manufacturers in the Philippines

Chinese remain on top of the list of foreigners engaged in illegal drug trading and manufacturing in the country according to a report from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

In its 2010 annual report, the agency conducted 11,163 anti-drug operations for the year which resulted in 8,259 arrests of drug personalities, seizure of dangerous drugs, and dismantling of clandestine shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratories.

In the said report, PDEA underlined that it was able to arrest 69 foreigners apprehended for possession, trafficking, or manufacturing of illegal drugs.

The anti-illegal drugs agency said 38 of the total number of foreigners arrested were Chinese. Among them were 24 drug traffickers, 10 manufacturers, and four possessors.

The number, according to the agency, is an indication of the continuing involvement of international syndicates in drug operations in the country particularly Chinese who are associated with clandestine shabu laboratory operations in the country.

Most of the arrested Chinese were involved in the distribution and manufacture of shabu, an illegal drug widely abused in the country.

PDEA also dismantled at least seven shabu laboratories in different parts of the countries. It noted that most of the laboratories are being maintained by Chinese.

Americans, meanwhile, placed second in the list with 10 arrests, followed by Indonesians and Malaysians with four each.

According to the agency, shabu remains to be the substance of choice for the illegal drug trade in the Philippines followed by cannabis of marijuana.

However, despite of the popularity of two controlled substances, PDEA said prices have fallen by more than 20 percent compared to 2009 prices.

Shabu, for instance dropped by 21 percent from the 2009 price of P11,800 per gram to only P9,350. The selling price for Marijuana also gone down by 27 percent from P55 per gram to P40.

The agency said the drop on the prices could be attributed to the intensive anti-drug operations of PDEA and other law enforcement agencies which affected the demand for illegal drugs.

The anti-illegal drugs agency also said that it is continuously coordinating with its foreign counterparts in a bid to strengthen its international and bilateral relations and sharing of best practices and experiences and support against illegal drugs.

By JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA