The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has provided a list indicating the possible presence of a clandestine laboratory used in the manufacture of illegal drugs in an area.
PDEA Director General Isidro S. Lapeña said the list aims to promote public interest, raise awareness of the risks and dangers of shabu laboratories and seek support in finding these illegal facilities.
The following tell-tale signs of the presence of a shabu lab in your neighborhood were listed in a Philippine Information Agency article.
They are the following:
1. presence of large water tanks
2. thick electrical wires for houses or facilities which should have normal-sized wires
3. laboratory materials surrounding the properties like empty chemical bottles, drums, and other types of chemical containers
4. specially-constructed chimney or ventilation fan which run for extended hours to get rid of strong odors
5. strong chemical odors (solvent-like) coming from the facility
6. persons in the premises seldom come out but they do come out to smoke, to avoid igniting highly explosive chemicals inside
7. excessive or irregular water waste coming out of the premises
8. presence of waste chemicals
9. discarded materials used to store chemicals
10. residents who burn their trash instead of discarding them
11. use of security cameras
12. odd locks and bars on windows
13. heavy security like the presence of watch dogs, high fences, and barb wires
14. every opening of the facility is covered or tinted
15. persons going about their business at odd hours
16. no traffic or activity during daytime, but there’s traffic or activity at wee hours
17. frequent visitors with expensive cars.
“The public should watch out for these 17 tell-tale signs showing the existence of a shabu laboratory in their neighborhood. You might be living near or next to one but are unaware of it,” Lapeña said, adding that the successful dismantling of these illegal facilities will significantly suppress the drug supply in the market.
PDEA encourages the citizenry to report suspected illegal drug activities and presence of a clandestine laboratory in their community by texting PDEA 24/7 SMS/Text Center’s numbers: For SMART subscribers, 09998887332. Globe and Sun Cellular subscribers may use the number 09279150616 and 09255737332, respectively, or by calling mobile number 09393960627 and landline numbers (02) 920-0735 and (02) 920-0736.
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