Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 21) — Authorities confiscated at least 84 loose firearms and hundreds of rounds of live ammunition from the residence of a suspected leader of a Taiwanese crime syndicate, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Tuesday.
In a press briefing, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos said the search warrant served at the house of a certain Jiang Zhang Xiadong (also known as Liu Min Chung) in Makati City on Monday yielded the arms cache.
However, the suspect eluded arrest, Abalos added.
Abalos said the Taiwanese syndicate is engaged in the production of illegal narcotics and telecom fraud operations in the Philippines.
He said it was a follow-up to the March 1 operation, also in Makati City, which led to the arrest of four Taiwanese fugitives.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it is still investigating how the suspects were able to amass such a high number of firearms.
“Iniimbestigahan natin ito [We are investigating] whether they use them for their syndicate or they engage in black market selling of these firearms,” said PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr.
