Pubdate: Wed, 28 Dec 2005
Source: People's Journal (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 People's Journal
Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp
Website: http://www.journal.com.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3381
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

FOREIGN DRUG PEDDLERS GIVING POLICE A HEADACHE

THE involvement of foreign nationals, particularly Chinese drug lords,
in the manufacture and trafficking of illicit drugs was one of the
major problems of anti-narcotics officers this year.

"Since 2002, the involvement of foreign nationals in drug trafficking
is very apparent in almost all the big-volume seizures by our law
enforcement authorities," Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chair
Anselmo S. Avenido, Jr. said.

Over the past three years, more than 100 foreigners have been arrested
for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002, according to Avenido. Most of them are Chinese
nationals, some of whom were smuggled by Chinese Triads into the
country where they serve as "cooks" in shabu laboratories.

Avenido said that although the so-called 'poor man's cocaine,'
commonly known as "ice" abroad is already being manufactured in the
country, it is still smuggled into the country through four major
avenues: the seaports, the international airports, the mail and parcel
services, and the vast expanse of the Philippine coastlines.

Shabu shipments from Asian countries find their way here through the
shorelines of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon, specifically the
provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Zambales,
Aurora, Quezon, Mindoro Oriental and Mindoro Occidental.

There were also reports that the provinces of Palawan, Masbate,
Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Davao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are being used as
landing sites by shabu smugglers.

In 2002, 37 foreigners were arrested for trafficking 809.1 kilograms
of shabu. The number rose to 70 the following year when a total of
3,255.2 kilograms of shabu, 3,322 kilograms of Ephedrine, large
volumes of other essential chemicals, and several items of laboratory
equipment with an overall estimated value of P8.88 billion or
US$161.45M were confiscated.

This year, 29 foreign nationals were arrested by the PDEA and the
Philippine National Police in a string of anti-narcotics operations
that netted a total of 69.269 kilograms of methamphetamine
hydrochloride, 1,625.875 grams of Ephedrine, large amounts of other
essential chemicals, and several items of laboratory equipment with an
overall estimated value of P884,712, 319.30 or $16.39M.

Avenido said efforts to neutralize 11 transnational and 198 local drug
groups operating in the Philippines will continue.

The year saw the neutralization of six of the foreign drug rings
identified and 86 of the local targets.

Avenido said the discovery of a shabu laboratory in the northern part
of the country in 1997 confirmed the shift in the drug syndicates'
strategy from trafficking to manufacturing the drug.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Tom