Philippines seizes huge drugs stash, arrests Chinese

Philippine police have arrested a suspected Chinese drug trafficker and seized from him one of this year's largest stashes of illegal drugs.

Police say more than 370 kilograms (815 pounds) of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of more than 2.5 billion pesos ($49 million) were discovered in the in suburban Makati city apartment of Liu Chao, who was arrested.

National police spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said Wednesday that two Filipinos allegedly working as Liu's drug dealers were later separately arrested with 17 more than kilograms (37 pounds) of methamphetamine.

Thousands of drug suspects have died in purported clashes with police under President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug crackdown. The campaign has drawn international condemnation.