Pubdate: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 Source: Saipan Tribune (US MP) Copyright: 2005 Saipan Tribune Contact: http://www.saipantribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2666 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) SYNDICATES USING FILIPINOS AS DRUG COURIERS The Philippine Consulate General on Saipan yesterday issued an advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs warning the country's overseas contract workers to be wary of syndicates employing unsuspecting Filipinas to serve as drug couriers. In the advisory, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo warned all overseas foreign workers, or OFWs, to be cautious of unscrupulous people offering big money in exchange for acting as a drug courier. This advisory came after two Filipinas were arrested only days apart at the Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, for possession and attempting to smuggle cocaine. Secretary Romulo said, "We cannot allow our nationals to be victimized by these criminal drug syndicates." The Department of Foreign Affairs will work closely with the law enforcement agencies in the Philippines and in other countries in combating this modus operandi that targets the vulnerability of the Filipina." Meanwhile, Romulo has instructed Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jose Brillantes "to place a high priority on this matter." The criminals' modus operandi to deceive prospective drug couriers was described as follows: - -Jobs are usually offered to Filipino women to work in an Asian capital, although only tourist visas are issued to the applicants; - -Once abroad, the Filipino is ordered to stay in a hotel for a number of days and is only given phone numbers of contact persons in the country where the Filipino is staying; - -After sometime, a foreign national will meet the Filipino at her hotel. It is at this time that the Filipino is informed that she is to deliver something to some South American destination; - -The Filipino will be given plane tickets, usually roundtrip, from the Asian capital to a Latin American country via Europe and back, as well as some "payment for services"; - -While in the Latin American country, another foreign national will meet the Filipino at a predetermined hotel to get her luggage and will eventually return the same luggage to her, but this time containing illegal drugs, i.e. cocaine, concealed among the packed belongings from her return trip to Asia; - -In case of arrest, the duped Filipino victims are sentenced to long-term imprisonment, or death, depending on the amount of illegal drugs found in her possession and the place of the arrest. The Philippine Consulate General on Saipan, CNMI, reiterates the Philippine government's advisory for Filipinos to be vigilant and encourages all to report to the Consulate General at telephone numbers 234-1848 or 234-1850/51 any information on individuals attempting to recruit Filipinos for drug-related activities. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth