DEPARTMENT
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
P R E S S R E L
E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph
2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines
Tel. No. 834-4000 |
SFA-AGR-528-05
28 July 2005
DFA BARES MODUS OPERANDI
OF DRUG SYNDICATES THAT LURES FILIPINAS TO BE DRUG COURIERS;
WARNS PUBLIC TO BE VIGILANT
AGAINST THESE SCHEMES
28 July 2005 – The Department
of Foreign Affairs today issued a strong warning to Filipinos against the
operation of international drug syndicates that operate in the Asian and
Latin American regions whose modus operandi is to trick women into smuggling
illegal drugs through international airports.
The Department, in expressing
concern over incidence of Filipinos apprehended at international airports
in possession of illegal drugs, appealed to the public to be extra vigilant
of such modus operandi. Would-be OFWs are also warned
to stay clear of unlicensed recruiters and other persons who pretend to
be offering legal jobs abroad not in compliance with the legal recruitment
processes enforced by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
or POEA.
In order to help Filipinos
avoid being forced into this kind of situation, the DFA Office of the Undersecretary
for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) outlined the usual progression of
events that leads a Filipino into being deceived to act as a “drug courier”:
-
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 some time, 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 “payment for services,” usually amounting
to US$4.,000.00;
-
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 for her return trip to Asia;
-
In case of arrest, the duped
Filipino victims are sentenced to imprisonment, usually lasting from two
to six years, depending on the amount of illegal drugs found in her possession.
The DFA-OUMWA reminds everyone,
especially those seeking work abroad, that no legal job could possibly
be awaiting them abroad if their recruiter only arranged for them to get
a tourist visa. OUMWA emphasized that in order to avoid being victimized
by deceptive recruiters, OFW applicants must coordinate with proper authorities
such as POEA and the Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force.
END
/jay