12-kilo ‘ice’ bust is biggest in CNMI history

The recent drug bust conducted by the Division of Customs and other law enforcement agencies is the biggest in the CNMI’s history.

Customs director Joe Mafnas said the haul of methamphetamine or “ice” was approximately 12 kilos (23.5 lbs), with an estimated value of $4.2 million.

Mafnas, in a press conference on Capital Hill yesterday, said the drug bust happened on July 17 when Customs agents inspected a 40-foot container from China.

The Division of Customs recently intercepted approximately 12 kilos (23.5 lbs) of methamphetamine, packed in five bags, with an estimated value of $4.2 million. (Joel D. Pinaroc)

Part of the merchandise was an air compressor that got agents suspicious, Mafnas said. The compressor was cut open, revealing five packages of crystal meth.

In his more than 20 years in law enforcement, this is “largest crystal meth intercepted” in the CNMI, Mafnas said.

“Like I always said, we need to choke this at the point of entry. We choked it, stopped it, so 23 lbs of crystal meth will not make it to the streets,” Mafnas said.

Department of Public Safety Commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero referred to the massive drug bust as the “mother of all mother lodes.”

He said he is “very happy” that DPS will “not collect” this amount of drugs on the CNMI.

“Just think about how much damage that amount of ice can do to the CNMI. But work is still ongoing,” Deleon Guerrero said.

Acting governor Ralph DLG. Torres thanked law enforcement agencies for the successful operation.

Saipan Tribune earlier reported that on July 17, during a routine inspection of a shipping container from Guangzhou, China, a CNMI Customs inspector noticed an air-compressor listed to a “Han Lu” that appeared to have been tampered with.

Using a fiber optic camera to look inside the tank, Customs inspectors saw a package containing a crystal-like substance. A field test kit was then used to determine the contents and the results returned presumptive positive for methamphetamine.

A drug detection dog also alerted inspectors to the presence of narcotics. The tank was opened and inspectors recovered a total of five square plastic packages of “ice” weighing approximately 23 lbs or 10,617 grams.

The tank was eventually resealed, and on July 21, the air compressor was transported along with the rest of the cargo to the Sunleader warehouse in As Terlaje Road, Saipan.

At the warehouse, investigators with the DEA, CNMI Customs, U.S. Homeland Security Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Public Safety, and CNMI Attorney General Investigation Unit placed the area under surveillance and waited for the person or persons who would pick up the shipment.

Yuliu Liu, 36, and Zhenlin Fang, 24, were taken to federal court on Friday afternoon to face charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.