Around P6 million worth of suspected “shabu” were seized from three Korean nationals in San Juan City on Monday, May 29.
The Manila Police District (MPD) identified the suspects as Kang Junchun, also known as Jungho Nam, 38; Kyung Sup Lim, 44; and Kim Mi Kyung, 39, all Korean nationals and residents of North Domingo St., San Juan City.
The suspects were arrested by joint operatives of the MPD, District Intelligence Division of Special Mayor’s Reaction Team, MPD District Drugs Enforcement Unit, Intelligence Division, Bureau of Immigration (BI), and Bureau of Immigration Fugitive Search Unit in North Domingo St., San Juan City at around 11:50 a.m. on May 29.
Operatives of SMaRT said they directly witnessed Kyung sniffing suspected shabu, with Kang assisting him by serving the substance using aluminum foil and a lighter.
Seized from the suspects were more or less one kilogram of shabu worth P6,800,000.
Kang and Kyung were both arrested for violation of Sec. 11,12 and 15 of Article II RA 9165, while Kim was arrested for violation of PD 1829 (Obstruction of Justice) Section 1 (paragraph c) Harboring Criminals.
The BI and MPD said that Kang is a South Korean fugitive who managed to escape from BI detention in Bicutan, Taguig, last May 21. He escaped by scaling a 20-foot fence with barbed wires and breached the BI warden's facility.
Police said he was previously charged with murder and abandonment of a dead body in his home country.
He was arrested in February by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 after arriving from Thailand.
BI officers also revealed that Kyung and Kim have been overstaying in the country.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan lauded the MPD personnel for their unwavering efforts in the fight against illegal drugs and their commitment to creating a safer and drug-free environment for the City of Manila.
"Napaka-laki po ng significance po niyan [awtoridad] kasi parang naging two-in-one siya eh. Unang-una natulungan natin ang Bureau of Immigration na madakip muli ang fugitive na ‘to, at the same time, nakatulong tayo na mahuli ng akto yung posibilidad na kumalat na naman po [ang] droga sa kalye (These operations are very significant. First of all, we helped the Bureau of Immigration recapture this fugitive, and at the same time, we helped prevent the proliferation of illegal drugs)," she said. (With reports from Richielyn Canlas)