Philippine military make multimillion dollar meth find during fight in Marawi

1-MIN READ1-MIN

Government forces display 11kg worth methamphetamine recovered by troops from the Maute group in a conflict area in Marawi City. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:32pm, 19 Jun 2017Updated: 10:25pm, 19 Jun 2017

The Philippine military found methamphetamine worth between US$2 million to US$5 million while clearing rebel positions in besieged Marawi City, officials said on Monday, boosting suspicions Islamist militants are being funded by the narcotics trade.

The 11 bags of shabu, the local name for methamphetamine, were recovered on Sunday along with four assault rifles in the kitchen of a two-storey concrete house believed to be occupied by fighters from the Maute militant group.

Government forces display 11kg of high grade methamphetamine and the IS flag recovered by troops from the Maute group. Photo: Reuters

“This strengthens our findings that these terrorists are using illegal drugs,” Major General Carlito Galvez, military commander of western Mindanao, said in a statement.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a ruthless ‘war on drugs’ after coming to power a year ago, has said the Marawi fighters are being financed by drug lords in Mindanao, an island the size of South Korea that has suffered for decades from banditry and insurgencies.

This strengthens our findings that these terrorists are using illegal drugs

Major General Carlito Galvez

Fighting in Marawi City erupted on May 23 after a bungled raid by security forces on a Maute hideout, with gunmen owing allegiance to Islamic State seizing bridges and buildings and taking hostages.