Manila Bulletin

Police net weapons stash in ringleader’s Makati condo

By AARON RECUENCO

The Philippine National PoliceCriminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized last Monday a large cache of firearms in a raid on a Makati City condo unit allegedly occupied by a suspected ringleader of a Taiwanese criminal syndicate.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said 85 long and short firearms, including six submachine guns, and ammunition were found in the 7 p.m. raid in Barangay Poblacion.

“The search was a follow-up operation to an earlier police operation last March 1 launched through information provided by law enforcement counterparts from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) that successfully implemented warrants of deportation and mission order against three Taiwanese in Makati City that also led to the confiscation of four pistols and a submachinegun,” said Abalos in a press briefing in Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday.

The subject of the search warrant during Monday’s raid, according to Abalos, was Zhang Xiaodong, alias “Lu Ming Chung,” whom he described as a suspected ringleader of a Taiwan-based criminal group.

Citing intelligence reports, Abalos said the group of Zhang is also involved in production of illegal narcotics, telecom fraud operations, and other illegal activities in the Philippines.

During the March 1 operation, Abalos said two of the three alleged cohorts of Zhang were linked to illegal drugs.

However, Abalos said Zhang was able to elude arrest during the implementation of a search warrant inhis Makati condo on March 20.

Seized during the operation were 13 5.56 rifles, 12 revolvers, 53 pistols, six folding submachine guns, ammunition for various guns and gun accessories.

“These Taiwanese fugitives are considered undocumented aliens as illegal entrants in the Philippines, and their presence in the country is deemed as a serious security threat,” said Abalos, adding that follow-up operations will be conducted against them.

National News

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2023-03-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

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