TWO Filipinas were rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation from the clutches of a West African drug syndicate and brought back to the country from Malaysia.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the operation started when they received information last month that two Filipinas were being recruited by the syndicate to pick up a package suspected to contain illegal drugs from Malaysia and transport it to Hong Kong.
Santiago said the information came after a series of “controlled delivery operations” and arrests conducted by the NBI against members of the syndicates in previous months.
The syndicate, according to Santiago, specifically targeted Filipinos due to their fluency in English, luring them with promises of all-expenses-paid trips to Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Once a prospective recruit agreed to the job of transporting the package, they were offered an additional $5,000.
“The recruits were reassured that the packages merely contained Malaysian products ordered by Hong Kong businessmen, convincing them there was no reason for concern,” Santiago said.
After the information was validated, Santiago said he formed a team which coordinated with the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
The agency also coordinated with the Royal Malaysian Police and the Narcotics Crime Division.
“With the diplomatic and law enforcement arrangement in place, the Malaysian authorities were able to arrest a female member of the syndicate and seize 2.3 kilograms of cocaine before it was delivered to the two Filipina recruits,” Santiago said.
“On February 5, the NBI successfully brought the two Filipinas back to the Philippines before they incurred any criminal liabilities in Malaysia,” he added.
During tactical interrogation by the NBI, the two claimed they were recruited by a Filipino and that while they were in Malaysia, they were provided allowances for food and sightseeing as they waited for their flight to Hong Kong to bring the package.
“The NBI is currently working to identify and track down the members of the syndicate operating in the Philippines, including their recruiters,” the NBI chief added.
