Chinese caught with shabu-making instruments charged in court

MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese national arrested over the weekend has been charged before the Quezon City courts for allegedly smuggling instruments used in manufacturing illegal drugs.

A case of possessing equipment, apparatus and other paraphernalia has been filed against Zhang Youhou, 46 of Jianxi, China, after he was caught with boxes of glassware with illegal drug residue.

Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, the Quezon City Police District director, said they have been checking with the Chinese Embassy and the Bureau of Immigration the suspect’s real name, his background, immigration status, and his criminal record.

Zhang was arrested at 3 p.m. Friday after a security guard at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal inspected his packages, which yielded the glass equipment.

Senior Inspector Roberto Razon, head of the District Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Group, said the foreigner was subjected to inquest proceedings for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Inquest prosecutor Rogelio Antero recommended a P40,000 bail for the suspect.

Razon said two 25-ml volumetric pipettes were found to have traces of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

Zhang’s contraband included beakers, petri dish, glass flasks, test tubes, exhaust fan, and electric stove stashed inside a styrofoam box initially declared to be mining equipment.

The Chinese national was supposed to board a bus bound for Masbate when security guard Alxander Bayle accosted him for the equipment.