Bicol police operatives raided an apartment which is alleged to be a shabu laboratory in Barangay Barriada in Legazpi City Saturday morning.

Senior Superintendent Joel Baloro, Albay police chief, said the apartment raided by police operatives is being rented by a certain Robert Reyes. Reyes was not in the area during the search and seizure operations.

Five persons however were arrested and were identified as Totoy Samson, 19 and James Atibagos, 18 who are both residents of Barangay Tara, Masbate City; Noli Reyes, 49, of Tondo Manila and live-in partner Genny Atibagos and Jin Yong San, a Korean-Chinese national.

Allegedly, assorted drug materials chemicals and ingredients in making illegal drugs were recovered during the operations which are now under the custody of police’s crime laboratory for examination.

Baloro said a resident in Barangay Barriada told police of the alleged shabu laboratory. Police said they conducted a month-long surveillance in the area.

Baloro added the laboratory has been operating for almost six months now since the occupants started renting the apartment on May this year.

He further stressed the confiscated materials and chemicals could produced at least five kilos of shabu in one processing. A kilo of shabu is reportedly worth P15 million.

The apprehended suspects were turned over to Legazpi City police for detention. They will be charged for violation off Republic Act 9165 or Comphehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The charge is non-bailable.

Police officials meanwhile said it is not discounting the possibility that the operators of the alleged newly-discovered shabu lab has connections with the shabu laboratory discovered early this year in Masbate City and Iriga City in Camarines Sur.