RP seeks China's aid against drugs

RP seeks China's aid against drugs

MANILA (AP): The Philippines will seek greater cooperation with China to stem the growing influx of a methamphetamine called "shabu" from its Asian neighbor, a government official said on Tuesday.

"We're initiating a stronger agreement with the Chinese government to stop this," said Miguel Coronel, executive director of the National Drug Enforcement and Prevention Coordinating Center. "It's best if we and the Chinese government will help each other in curtailing smuggling of shabu into the country."

About 721 kilograms of shabu were seized last year. Coronel said 75 percent of shabu traffickers are entering the Philippines from China, with the overall number who have been caught rising to 103 last year from 72 in 1999.

So far this year, 20 of 30 foreign traffickers caught were Chinese, he said.