Chinese nabbed for P170-M shabu

MANILA, Philippines — At least 25 kilos of high-grade methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu were confiscated from a Chinese man during a drug sting in Ermita, Manila yesterday afternoon.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives arrested Lin Hua Sen, 42, in front of a hotel along Roxas Boulevard at around 2 p.m.

A source told The STAR that Lin was a “high-value target,” being an alleged member of a drug syndicate.

The PDEA agents were surprised when Lin opened his gray Honda Civic (plate number XZZ-553) and they saw two suitcases filled with shabu, estimated to be worth P170 million on the street.

The same source said they are trying to determine if Lin is connected to another Chinese, suspected of being a drug courier, who was arrested in a hotel in Malate on Sept. 6; or to a Taiwanese man who was arrested in the Good Life Hotel in Binondo a week earlier.

Around P40 million worth of shabu and 12 boxes of 9mm bullets were recovered from the Taiwanese while three kilos of high-grade shabu was confiscated from the Chinese.

2 drug suspects slain

Meanwhile, two suspected pushers were killed in Metro Manila since Sunday.

Gerbert Soriella, 45, was shot in the head by an unidentified assailant in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City at around 9 p.m. Sunday.

Soriella, who was declared dead on arrival at the Pasig City General Hospital, was categorized as a pusher in the barangay drug watchlist, according to Police Officer 2 Eric Goboy of the city police’s criminal investigation unit.

In Manila, Rechie Inocencio was killed in an alleged shootout during a sting in Sampaloc at around 1:30 a.m.

Probers recovered a .38 revolver and a pouch containing several sachets of shabu from the scene. - With Non Alquitran