CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — A kitchen-type laboratory that can produce a kilo of shabu (metamphetamine hydrochloride) per day has been dismantled by combined police and anti—narcotics operatives on Thursday, according to reports submitted to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Regional Office -3 (PDEA 3).
PDEA 3 Regional Director Christian Frivaldo said that the operating team was armed with a search warrant when they raid the laboratory located in Barangay Cawag, Subic, Thursday afternoon. The team was composed of operatives from the Zambales Provincial Police Office, Zambales Provincial Office, Zambales PMFC, Regional Intelligence Unit 3, PDEA3 and the local police
“The operatives recovered different types of suspected controlled precursors and essential chemicals (substances used in the preparation of shabu) and assorted laboratory equipment,” according to the report.
Frivaldo said that initial assessment made by the PDEA 3 laboratory section chief indicated that the facility had the capacity to produce a kilo of shabu everyday.
The search also resulted in the arrest of the laboratory’s alleged caretaker Joven A. Salvador, 36.
He said that PDEA3 Laboratory will examine the seized pieces of evidence.
Meanwhile, Zambales Provincial Director Col. Ponce Rogelio Peñones said the shabu laboratory was reportedly operated by certain Mark Rae Lapid and Joven Salvador. (With a report from PNA)