Chinese and Philippine police have uncovered a large international drug producing and trafficking case, seizing one ton of ephedrine and 350 kilograms of crystallized methamphetamine (commonly known as "ice").

Fifteen suspects have been captured in China and five caught in Philippines, Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the anti-narcotics bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Police have also seized nearly 10,000 cases of chemicals and many equipments in a drug plant covering 3,000 square meters in Philippines, Liu said.

He said that police in southeast China's coastal province of Fujian began to investigate a drug smuggling case involving Philippines in July. In September, police of the two countries set up a joint detective team, to track down a major drug smuggler Shao Chuntian, who was wanted by police in China and several Southeastern Asian countries.

In November, police found that Shao had smuggled one tone of ephedrine to China and set up a plant in Philippines to produce "ice".

On Dec. 19, Philippine police captured three Chinese suspects at the Manila airport and two Philippine suspects in the plant. At the same time, Chinese police seized Shao Chuntian and another 14 Chinese suspects in Quanzhou City of Fujian Province.

Source: Xinhua