Chinese and Philippine police have cracked a large international drug producing and trafficking ring, seizing one ton of ephedrine and 350 kilograms of crystallized methamphetamine (commonly known as "ice").

 

Fifteen suspects have been captured in China and five in the Philippines, said Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the anti-narcotics bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

 

Police have also seized nearly 10,000 cases of chemicals and a lot of equipment in a drug plant covering 3,000 square meters in Philippines, Liu said.

 

"The case is a good example of international anti-drug cooperation. In addition to Philippine authorities, police from China's Fujian, Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hong Kong also took part in the investigation," said Liu.

 

He said that police in Fujian began to investigate a drug smuggling case involving the Philippines in July. In September, police from the two countries set up a joint detective team, to track down a major drug smuggler named Shao Chuntian, who was wanted by police in China and in several Southeastern Asian countries.

 

In November, police found that Shao had smuggled one ton of ephedrine to China and set up a plant in Philippines to produce "ice."

 

On December 19, Philippine police captured three Chinese suspects at Manila airport and two Philippine suspects in the plant. At the same time, Chinese police seized Shao Chuntian and another 14 Chinese suspects in Quanzhou City of Fujian Province.

 

Shao, carrying a Chinese passport, is a well-known drug kingpin in southeastern Asia, said Fu Shijie, head of the anti-drug team of the Public Security Bureau of Fujian Province.

 

Shao started to produce drugs in Philippines as early as 2001. His plant was shut down by local police in December 2004 after a fire fight between police and workers in the plant.

 

Shao then hid in Manila, and helped others manufacture 600 kilograms of drugs at that time. Then he fled to Fujian Province. He resumed the drug business this year, Fu said.

 

Police are investigating where the drug producing materials and equipment in this case came from, said Fu.

 

One ton of ephedrine can be used to produce several hundred kilograms of "ice," and one kilogram of "ice" can be sold at a wholesale price of 300,000 yuan in China, Fu added.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)