Crystal Meth and Cartels in the Philippines: The Shabu Trap 

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I'm from the philippines wow for my entire life here your the only reporter who interviews both side and have a direct video while they doing the session and the repack. You have some balls man you got my respect.

VICE News takes a look at the Philippines drug trade. We visit the Tondo district of Manila, a port area overwhelmed by shabu, to speak to dealers defending their turf and police officers trying to contend with porous borders, stunted judiciary power, and - their most challenging enemy - corruption within their own forces. Watch "Gangs of El Salvador (Full Length)" - bit.ly/1SLgWUR

Plot twist, Dude got hooked on Shabu during the making of this film.

One thing as a Japanese, how often the term "shabu" used here is how much it's actually damaging people in Japan.

I'm from the Philippines and maaan i got to say. The reporter got some balls.

this is unrelated but goddamn as a fellow south east asian i'm always amazed by how many filipinos can speak very fluent english. even though it's not their native language.

I live in the philippines and this is spot on! they couldnt be more precise with this documentary. the corruption , the lifestyle, the drugs and its effects, its amazing.

This documentary holds true only in Philippine areas where the urban poor lives. But if you go to places where the middle and upper class and working citizen lives, you will be shock to learn that druglords have decent daily jobs, active in religious and social communties, doing charities, and most of all they dont need guns and bodyguards to play the game. It's a network deeply seated and deeply rooted that only with a political will and power can destroy it. Purging them would take decades and only time will tell who will win the Drug War. The vigilante or the syndicate. God bless the 🇵🇭.

I really can't wrap my head around how they were able to get in those places and interview those people.

17:29 didn't even mask the face of the guy Joseph sold meth to. Smooth move, VICE.

Psychedelics saved me from years of uncontrollable depression, anxiety, and illicit pills addiction. Imagine carving heavy chains for over a decade and then all of a sudden that burden is gone. Believe it or not, in a couple of years they'll be all over for treatment of mental health related issues.

Wow, this guy has balls of steel risking his skin to interview not just users but actual dealers. Amazing work documenting the issue here in the Philippines. I hope this video serves as precedent to our media who keeps turning a blind eye for their convenience.

This guy is inhaling meth like its nothing.

vice: I fear for the "informants" being shown on camera without enough censor / blur in their voices, body shape, clothes, skin color and how they move. people who know them would more likely still recognize them. just their face covered is not enough... they could end up dead because of this documentary

Philippines improved a lot today! Hello 2022 watchers!

My personal experience from drug abuse is that it turn your world upside down. You became far from family and friends. You will be alone.you can't do normal jobs in Society. You can not be the man that you were be using drugs. You can't think properly and you wish to die at last. İt's a horrible feeling you can't help your self to avoids drug. Thanks God i am now safe because of my family and friends helped me. They have suffered a lot but they didn't quit. Plz don't hate your love ones for being addicted to drugs they have fall in a trap and need serious help. Plz help them

My heart just got broken watching this, i love Filipino people, they are good hearted, hard working , unlucky people fighting to survive in poverty for ages.. my prayers 🙏🏻💎🧿🇹🇷

Shabu sounds like a planet from star wars.

“The police themselves who are protecting us” what a shame

police guys starts laughing when he talks about having strong morals to not take bribes, informator just openly says that she wants people in jail and hopes for death penalty to be served in her country as punishment, this isnt going to be one sides

i seriously worry for vices informants...

That's crazy how far the Mexican cartels go. They need a documentary about thier involvement in other countries. Very interesting

It's like GTA in real life.

Hiding informants face and voice but pretty sure they know his dressing style and body shape... Anyone agrees?

I wonder if this journalist realizes if he’s caught in a raid during this filming he’s going to a Filipino jail for life..I wouldn’t play those odds, you’d be dead in a few months from some disease from the old world in a Filipino prison, literally bubonic plague has been found in them.

By the way the “informant” in this show died a week later, she wore the same shirt and a spotter spotted it and reported it to there gang. They hunted them down and after a small gun battle they ran away

Wow they actually did a better job of blurring their faces in this re-upload. They actually read their comments?

How they zoomed on his watch after he said "the pillars of corruption"

In the making of this film . they dont know its gonna be bloody drug war for the next president will be Rodrigo Duterte.

That poor little puppy and those kids break my heart

14:23 I just found it hilarious that he is talking about corruption of officials and the camera zooms in on his expensive ass looking watch :p

So detailed and accurate. This guy is ballsy enough to go through the inner workings of poverty-striken part of Manila and interview low-level players. Maybe being from the outside (a foreigner) helped getting the trust of these low-level narcos. Shabu, or poor man's cocaine, destroyed countless number of families and the society.

The reporter is already high being with those addics due to second hand smoke

how the hell did this guy got himself communicating with those guys. like man . too much risk involved dude

Ahhh yes, back when vice reported things actually worth watching 😌

Kudos to this guy who covered the documentary. Such a brave human!!!!

"No, they leave us alone because they don't want to get involved, they'll just wait for it to finish and that's when they'll arrive" 😩

I'm actually amazed that the dealers agreed to be interviewed by a foreigner for some documentary which can be viewed online. I've never seen a documentary like this in the local news channels. Never. Well done, VICE News.

Being poor in the Phillipines is different than most other places, spent a while there and in this video they say 25% of people are living in poverty, if you walk around manilla for a day you'd probably estimate closer to 75% The outer provinces are even worse especially up north

Man, i salute to you. It is very risky to do this kind of documentary, especially in my country because theses kind of people really sneaky if they wanted to kill you any moment. Thank you for your sacrifice

It’s a new day with bright and beautiful ideals, hope you got a huge list for this 2023. Cause last year was messed up due to many weren’t wise enough to consider investment, but the question is what will you achieve this year.

"Do the pushers have Weapons?" Wow, such inquisitive and dynamic journalism.

There's absolutely no stop to it from politicians and police corruption is involved

Asks everyone: Why do you think this inexpensive long lasting stimulant is so popular in poverty ridden areas? Have you not heard of Meth bro?!

The fact that the state in the form of the police seem to be heavily in the drug trade says a lot. Systemic corruption like that combined with widespread poverty provide continuing feeding ground for the drug sellers/murderers. At the same time it is good to see that the police leadership is openly acknowledging the corruption within their ranks. It's an important first step in potentially stemming the tide and perhaps turning things around

I'm from philippines, salute to this guy risking his own life, just to document and to interview some drug users and drug dealers here in phil. what a balls of steel sir.

I have had a battle with addiction to this drug over the last few years, but I am finally getting the better of it. It is surprising how quickly you can find that the whole circle of people around you are users thereof also, and it can become difficult to get free of the addiction. I intend to persevere until I no longer use it at all.

14:22 when the police dude starts talking about corruption, they zoom in on his bling ass watch.

In some places yes this exist i live in the Philippines i haven't have any experiences of seeing somebody getting arrested for drugs but i see a lot on the news.

I feel bad for the cop doing the interview. He was most definitely killed after this was put out

In New Zealand, its the same here, meth is the easiest drug to buy in this country than weed. Price has gone cheap than what it used to be, and it has increased every year for the past 20 years as well. Its like this in most countries now.

Galing mag-english ni ateng informant. It's true that some Filipinos are fluent, but we are just shy because we are afraid of judgement from other people.

Most of these residents are born in to big poor families. They have nothing else going on in life, no extracurricular activities to keep busy. They hang out with friends that eventually lead to gangs. Young kids become part of gangs because parents aren't there. They are busy trying to provide for them. Shabu provides an escape. We can ressolve the problem by proving activities that keep kids off the street. Living in the ph, I saw kids in the streets late at night. No parents in sight. I hope one day I can start something to help. Maybe push sports and the arts more. Provide steady jobs. I just want to help them so bad. It hurts to see huge skyscrapers overlooking squatters. It hurts me to see the misinformation. One day I promise to help. Just gotta work hard. Great doc. btw

I have tried shabu with my Georgian friend, trust me that's some crazy shit. U become like zombie. No sleep, always awake. Glad i never got addicted to it. I pray nobody should.

"They took me out to the brush to train with their weapons"... forward to guys holding weapons weakly and shooting at the ground 5 feet away hahahahaha

That puppy when they were interviewing it was just walking around, I want to adopt it now, I will fly out and get it, its probably already dead tho :(

In Indonesia we also have the same problem with the shabu (we also call it with the same name), but the punishment is severe for the dealers and producers, which is the death penalty. maybe Vice can do a comparison coverage between the philipines and indonesia in terms of the Shabu culture

Congratulations vice news! You just let them get killed 😪

You are so brave for risking your life in that kind of documentary

7:37 dude is so hospitable

people in the government should be morally convicted people. it's hard to find those people nowadays.

I have a relative on this demonic drug, and it’s tearing apart his family. I pray he can get help and get clean.

I like Vice News because of the access to these kind of reports

lol @ when the official mentioned corruption they zoomed in on his watch haha

they probably have HSBC premium account with loyalty points...

No reporter in the Philippines can do this kind of report! Whoahw! Makes my nerves Goosebumps! 2 thumbs up Vice News! 👍🏻👍🏻

This a great documentation. Our local reporter here in PH can't do this kind documentary. Great job sir Ingat parati.

If you have never had it, and you are locked in a tiny room like that with that many people smoking/chasing oof, you'll definitely get secondary inhalation, especially if you spend an hour or two with them.

He's worried bout his safety but snitching on anyone he know

just dont do drugs its not that hard. take personal responsibility

You definitely got some big balls man. Local reporters wouldn't even dare get into this stuff.

The informant will be recognized easily by someone there They show more than they should

guess what, it's 2019 they already died or jailed.

Is this a breaking bad reference?

This is why Vice is still on the map! Puttin in hard work! You guys deserve a grammy or some shit of trophy anyway! i've been living in Dublin,Ireland for 10 years now but i still visit my hometown Bulacan Philippines, i am 22 years old and i aint dumb, seen shit happening around me even tho i wasn;t involve in the whole process i see it, all of it actually. Quick sidewalk deals type of shit. Lady coppin shabu sort of stuff. Man its disgusting but its hard to live in the gutter. But i still love my town! Marilao Bulacan it small not much happening there but its mine!

How they doing now?

There was a time in 2019 4 tons of meth slipped past through customs without anyone arrested 😂😂😂

How the F do you find these dudes when our police force can't even find them.

Watching this in 2020 and I recon most of them are dead now...

Walter white and Jesse business never fail.

Is any one hear from 2019?

At least filipinos now have different view of the drug trade. Before the dealers are powerfull, now they are being hunted.

You didn't blur out the guys face who got the stuff from the guy on the bike.

Dope head: I am addicted to shabu Hmmmm i need money I'll just smoke it up and I'll be rich!

Seeing them how they handle the weapons as if they never fired a gun before really made me cringe.

THE TEN SACK COMMANDMENTS: Am I allowed to call myself a junky? Well I’m a junky. I’ve been a weekend warrior for fifteen years now. I’ve had close calls but hey I’m still here. 1. Move slow. A very scary deelr told me you can always do more but you can’t take anything out. That was h. Five years or so after I tried it. Every year it getting a little worse. 2. A venice “house less” person once told me to be careful with the fent i just purchased. He said only do one hit and put it down. Lemme tell you this is some 💩 no one on the streets ever said. I’m like whoa if this dude with only a robe and a motorcycle helmet on just told me this I’m going to respect it. 3. As I said no one cares about your stories. Do something with your life. Something that means something to you. It doesn’t even have to be any caliber of great. If you enjoy it that is what matters. 4. Whatever got you here ain’t gonna happen again. Probably because the product is always getting worse. The manufacturers want to make more money. They don’t care about the quality of your experience. They care about the frequency of your experiences. So if they can work inside and not deal with organic matter then that’s the way this thing is going to go. Trust me this is not what the consumer wants. I am kinda greatful because the world phased out my lustful product. On the east coast years ago you would feel it in your stomach. Feeling like the world was amazing no matter what. If she wanted to or even if she didn’t want to. But if she wanted to. Then we gonna get loud for about ten hours. 5. This is really just a rant i have no idea why i’m putting numbers on this. But if you agree to do this and stay alive. Then you are probably not going to enjoy the experience and feel a lil ripped off each time. THIS IS BETTER THEN DEATH. Well so they say. But when you decide to really go for it. Or get greedy. Things will go black for you. Either waking up. Or not. 6. You are probably bipolar or have another serious mental disease if you are learning anything from this or can relate. Don’t take meds I am stuck on them and hate them. But maybe this is harder to get off then street products. Look i am sorry. And things will probably never be great. They get worse all the time. And every day you say $ it a little more. Every day you loose a little more of your soul. This is why i believe people pass more when they are my age. Maybe it’s losing hope. Idk. But this saturn return stuff is serious so you either come out of these years better. Or not at all. We will see what happens as far as I go. If sin go dark tho. Don’t be sad for I am in a much better place. Even if that is no place at all. 7. Don’t mix stuff. Or air on the side of serious caution 8. Streets rarely have purity. What you are doing is probably just a weird concoction with a false name. Know that the game got wack and u most likely have trash. 9. No one cares about your stories. 10. run while you can. Oh and if you think you went r$tarded during the middle of a binge. Don’t worry your probably did not. After a while your body becomes a tank. Well reinforced to withstand just about anything yet forgetting any concept of pleasure. Always asume before tho that going $tarded is a sure possibility. Do something with your life yo.

even mar roxas knows where to score shabu haha. he's a former silg secretary but did not do anything to stop the trafficking of shabu on those places he knew where shabu is rampant.

Thanx for balance reporting..kudos

How does VICE get access to all these people? HOW?

Very informative opens your eyes, to think about it coming to our streets of scotland.as it will be a matter of time!!

I find it strange that they have to subtitle the Filipinos speaking fluent and articulate English, not to be pc but maybe they subconsciously assume if your not from a white anglophone country you are indecipherable??? Just my musings.

12:39 “ah shit that hurt. dont let them know it hurt tho”

Shabu is quite popular in Indonesia. But its expensive and not every people has acces to shabu. And weapon is illegal ini here, and considered serious crime for having weapon without license

The vice reporter became addicted to meth after this documentary due to contact high from interviewing those addicts lol

Jeez. A sound engineer could isolate and return the voice filter in about 5 minutes.... If that.

*This is very true i live in the Philippines and i always see shabu and they don't hide it and even kids see it..*

I don't like the way youtube did the comment section 😕

3:04 grove street took over

They fire those weapons like it's the first time ever touched a firearm.