Tourist falls in major drug bust

Operatives seized some 86.4 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride from a Saipan apartment where a Chinese tourist and his alleged girlfriend were staying, in what authorities consider as one of the biggest drug busts in the CNMI.

CNMI chief prosecutor David Hutton said the tourist has been coming into and out of Saipan to traffic illegal drugs, particularly “ice.” The National Drug Intelligence Center earlier reported that organized Asian crime syndicates engaged in drug distribution have penetrated the CNMI.

Hutton identified the Chinese tourist as Zhou Xu, 25, who has been using “Mr. Chang” as his alias on Saipan. Operatives also nabbed 25-year-old Hua Shang, Zhou’s alleged girlfriend. Hutton said the worker was with Zhou when lawmen seized ice from the tourist’s apartment.

Operatives swooped down on Zhou last Thursday after about two weeks of surveillance operations, Hutton said. Prosecutors are readying charges against Zhou for alleged possession and trafficking of illegal drugs.

“This was a two-week sting operation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office and the Local Drugs and Firearms Task Force, including the Drug Enforcement Administration. It involved intense surveillance and several warrants,” Hutton said, lauding Department of Public Safety commissioner Santiago Tudela and the DPS’ Criminal Investigation Bureau.

Based on a sworn declaration submitted by police detective Jesse K. Seman before the Superior Court, Zhou arrived on Saipan as a tourist on Feb. 3, 2005. The following day, Zhou allegedly applied for work as maintenance worker at Ranni’s Corp.

The detective disclosed that a confidential informant cooperated with lawmen, identifying Zhou as the one whom he had known as “Mr. Chang” for at least one year and four months.

Before Zhou’s arrest, task force members from the Customs Service division interviewed the informant, who disclosed that “Mr. Chang” had just arrived at the airport. The informant had made drug deals with Zhou in the past, the detective said.

Operatives then secured an eavesdrop search warrant from the Superior Court and conducted surveillance on Zhou. On Wednesday last week, the task force and the DEA conducted a controlled-buy operation against Zhou, wherein the informant paid the tourist marked money amounting to $700 in exchange for ice. Field-testing conducted later indicated that the substance sold by Zhou contained methamphetamine hydrochloride.

They later ascertained Zhou’s true identity after the latter got flagged down on a traffic violation. When Zhou failed to show any identification, he invited the traffic officer to his apartment in Gualo Rai and showed his passport.

Operatives then asked the Superior Court for a search warrant on Zhou’s apartment. The search reportedly yielded some 86.4 grams of ice.

Superior Court associate judge Ramona Manglona imposed a $100,000-bail on Zhou. The judge set Hua’s bail at $400,000.

“The court, having received testimonial evidence, found that the Commonwealth presented evidence to establish that the arrests of defendants Hua Shang and Zhou Xu are lawful,” Manglona said in a court order.

Manglona set a preliminary hearing for the defendants today at the courtroom of associate judge Kenneth Govendo. Zhou and Hua will be arraigned before presiding judge Robert Naraja on Monday next week.