TACLOBAN CITY – Because of unstoppable proliferation of illegal drugs in the region, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Office 8 launched the “Task Force Drug Courier” in cooperation with the Philippine Information Authority (PIA) Region 8.
In a press conference of the Harampang ha PIA, PDEA 8 Director Julius Navales said that this program came up because of the alarming increased of drug courier in the country.
“As of January 2011, there are 689 drug courier recorded cases and it has an increase compared form two recorded drug courier cases in 1993,” Navales revealed.
PDEA 8 Director Navales also revealed that there are more females who were victimized as drug mule by drug syndicates, from 689 there were 63% equivalent of 431 were females and male victims comprise of 37% or 258 cases.
At present, Navales said there were 89 Filipina facing death penalty in china and 6 from these were sentenced of death penalty with no reprieve while 73 were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.
Navales said that the modus operandi of the drug syndicate is to befriend their prospective victims using social network particularly “FACEBOOK” targeting females and they offer for marriage, international travel and $2,000 with all expenses shouldered by the drug syndicate that also promises to provide the plane ticket.
He also said that this is because of poverty why females are attracted or convinced to grab the offer without even noticing that they were just deceived by their very enticing offers specially nowadays that Filipina are indulged in marrying foreigners.
With this, Navales warned the public especially the females who are often using social networks not to be encouraged if there are foreigners chatting with them and having the same modus operandi because even they are victims, they will also be facing charges according to RA No. 6425.
He also enumerated the country where the origin of the illegal drugs. In Malaysia – 24%, Macao – 8%, Thailand – 7%, Nepal 6%, Philippines 6%, Vietnam – 5% and 44% from other countries.
“Drug Courier are people who transport drugs by hiding them inside their bodies in exchange for a big amount of money,” Navales explained.
The Task Force Drug Courier was created by the virtue of the Administrative Order No. 279 with the cooperation of DOLE, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, PTA, OP-ES, DOJ, CHED, NBI, PNP-AvseGroup and MIAA. (Noel Sevillano Talacay)
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