Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Three South Korean nationals and three Filipinos were arrested in a posh condominium in Makati early Tuesday following the police’s intensified war against drugs.
The police implemented a search warrant against “high-value targets” in a condominium unit in One Rockwell East Tower in Brgy. Poblacion in Makati City. The condominium’s management said authorities served the warrant at around 12:01 a.m. It added that its security and property management teams have been in close coordination with the police to ensure the “smooth” execution of the warrant.
Quezon City Police District Director S/Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said the police arrested unit resident Bang Kho Laem a.k.a. Mr. Kuo, Chi Pui Wong; Jintaek Lee; and Isaac Kho a.k.a Kiderck Kim, Kook Jung Wong, who claimed to be an officer for National Intelligence Service of South Korea. The Filipinos in the raid were identified as Kathleen Nonato, Jaypee Soriano, and Arbeen Diaz. One female suspect escaped.
Among the items seized were a total of 250 grams of shabu, a homemade revolver, ammunition, and 4 katana or samurai swords.
New modus
National Capital Region Police Office Director C/Supt. Oscar Albayalde described this case as “unique” because the drugs were exported out of the country through a local courier company.
He said the modus was to insert 4 grams of sachet of shabu in between expandable folders, with as much as four sachets per folder.
The police said the three South Koreans were only able to show their tourist visas. Albayalde said their only business in the Philippines was to get drugs in the country and sell them at a higher price in South Korea and the United States. He said the suspects have been operating their illegal drugs business in the country for at least a year and a half.
A senior police inspector was injured in the raid after the suspects refused to open the door. The authorities created a hole in the door, and when the officer put his hand inside, he was wounded by the katana, said Eleazar.
