Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 Source: People's Tonight (Philippines) Copyright: Journal Group 2006 Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp Website: http://www.journal.com.ph Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3454 Author: Alex T. Silva Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines VINEGAR USED IN TRANSPORTING ECSTASY TO U.S., EUROPE A WELL entrenched drug syndicate based in the Philippines is now using bottled vinegar in exporting drugs particularly shabu and Ecstasy pills to Europe and the United States. This was relayed to People's Tonight by a highly reliable source from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in connection with the current activities by drug syndicate using our country as base of its international drug operation which also includes Japan. People's Tonight learned that the illegal importation of some 700 kilos of ketamine (main ingredient in manufacturing ecstasy) late last year using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is enough to supply the whole of Europe and New York including Japan. To avoid being detected, NBI source told People's Tonight the syndicate now engages in exporting bottled vinegar where all ingredients in making shabu and ecstacy are placed. "Inihahalo nila sa suka ang tinunaw na sangkap ng shabu o ecstasy at kapag naideliver na sa iba't ibang bansa ay doon muli nila ito bubuuin sa isa ring laboratoryo para maging ganap na tableta ng ecstasy o shabu," the source said. The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFD), the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB)as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) recently included ketamine in their list of prohibited drugs. The same NBI source told People's Tonight that they also keep on tight watch several Customs brokers and importers who are reportedly engaged in the illegal importation of shabu, ketamine, and other related chemicals used in the illegal drugs. The syndicate concealed hundred kilos of shabu in their shipments from the different risk countries such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even used Singapore as their transshipment point. The drug syndicate also used different techniques in drug exchange deals such as exchanging car keys in the different parking lots, hotel keys and other tactics to avoid being detected by law enforcers. The payment could be coursed through ATMs, savings banks, and other electronic cash exchange. - --- MAP posted-by: Tom