Pinay caught smuggling 4.16 kilos of cocaine in Bangkok

MANILA, Philippines -  Operatives of the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau arrested a 32-year-old Filipina at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 4.16 kilograms of cocaine, an embassy report said yesterday.

The Philippine embassy in Bangkok reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the Filipina was en route to Vietnam from Lima, Peru.

The embassy withheld the name of the Filipina who was in Thailand waiting for her connecting flight when she was apprehended by authorities on Monday.

She allegedly confessed that she was hired to deliver the illegal substance to an unidentified person in Vietnam.

Possession of narcotics is considered a grave offense in Thailand and in almost all countries around the world, where the length of the sentence is usually commensurate to the amount of substance found on the suspect.

The embassy reiterated the warning to Filipinos to be wary of accepting offers from individuals or groups to carry illegal drugs in their luggage or on their person when going abroad.

It also reminded Filipinos to be wary of drug trafficking syndicates that lure unsuspecting individuals to the drug trade through Internet chat rooms.

Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Linglingay Lacanlale said some of the drug cases involved Filipino women who met their would-be victimizers in Internet chat rooms.

“Initially, the victimizer will pretend to be a potential lover or boyfriend. After weeks of Internet chatting, the victimizer invites the Filipina to visit him in Thailand. Once the Filipina agrees, the victimizer sends a plane ticket and a letter of invitation,” Lacanlale said.

“It is usually on the Filipina’s second or third return to Thailand when her confidence has probably been won over by the potential boyfriend, that the victimizer allegedly begins his modus operandi of using the Filipina as a drug mule,” she said.

It is unknown, however, if the recent victim was recruited this way.

Lacanlale added that other Filipinos who were similarly charged with drug-related offenses admitted that they were willing participants in a scheme to smuggle prohibited drugs for a fee ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

The office of the DFA’s undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs said this modus operandi of luring Filipinas as drug mules through Internet chat rooms has also been reported in Kuala Lumpur.

It has instructed the embassy to give assistance to the Filipina, including legal representation in all her court appearances, consular assistance and continuous monitoring of the case.

Earlier, DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos issued a warning to Filipino travelers against becoming drug couriers.

Conejos added that the Philippines is undertaking comprehensive and proactive measures to address the drug mules’ issue and prevent the further victimization of Filipinos by international drug syndicates, in cooperation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other key government agencies.

Operation Homerun

On the recommendation of the DFA, former President Arroyo signed last Feb. 8 Administrative Order (AO) 279 creating the Drug Couriers Task Force (TFDC) to prevent Filipinos from being used as drug couriers by international drug trafficking syndicates.

The TFDC is composed of the PDEA as chair, the DFA as co-chair, and the Department of Labor and Employment, the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Customs, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine Information Agency, the Manila International Airport Authority, and the Philippine Tourism Authority as members.

In May, the TFDC scored a victory with the successful implementation of “Operation Homerun,” which resulted in the neutralization of an international drug trafficking syndicate.

The PDEA-led operation took place in the Philippines and neighboring Asian countries. Working with foreign law and drug enforcement authorities, the operation led to the arrest of nine male Nigerians, one female Thai, one female Malaysian and two Filipinas, as well as the seizure of two kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin in China.

“Operation Homerun” was designed to identify and arrest the members and cohorts of an international drug trafficking syndicate operating in Thailand, Malaysia, China and the Philippines. It also hopes to rescue Filipinas who are exploited by the syndicate as drug mules.

It also emphasized the significance of educating travelers on how the syndicate recruits drug couriers and protecting them against international drug syndicates.