By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
Koror, Palau – Last friday, yet another 2 chinese nationals Wenhao Zhu and Zhihua Yu were charged for trafficking and possession of drugs – methamphetamine(Meth).
According to the case filled by the Attorney General, it alleges that last week Tuesday June 24 at around 10:45 pm two police officers Hubson Sechalboy and Humio Kebekol were doing a routine patrol at Ngersung hamlet, Airai when they saw a male individual exiting a white vehicle.
The officers slowed down and allegedly observed the individual throw an object on the ground and ran back to the car after which it drove off. The officers followed the car, a Juke Nissan with Peleliu plate#1678 so it made a stop in front of the Surangel & Sons warehouse.
Officer Kebekol went back to look for the object that was thrown and found it to be a packet of carnival menthol cigarettes containing a ziplock back of crystalline substance. The crystalline substance was later found to be presumptively positive of Methamphetamine weighing 3.75 grams.
Further investigations revealed that Zhu was staying at Airai Water Paradise Hotel room #210 while Yu was staying at Jing Ping Hotel in Ngerbeched. After obtaining Yu’s consent, his room was searched by police where additional 8 ziplock bags of crystalline substances were found along with $8,675 cash.
These additional substances were also found presumptive positive for meth weighing 10.15 grams. Police also found in the room numerous small ziplock, an electronic scale and the drug paraphernalia.
Zhihua Yu was charged with 1 count of possession of more than a gram of controlled substance while Wenhao Zhu was charged with 2 counts of possession of more than a gram of controlled substance as well as trafficking of controlled substance.
Palau has lately been seeing a rise of drug charges against Chinese nationals raising the alarm of increased transnational crime activities on the island.