Two Filipino drug mules arrested in Brazil

Despite repeated warnings from Philippine authorities, two more Filipinos have been arrested overseas for acting as drug mules. The arrests of the Filipino women in Brazil in October and in August prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs to reiterate its warning against being used as drug mules. "(The two arrests indicate) the continuing operations of international drug syndicates using Filipinas as drug mules in spite of the government's aggressive information and law enforcement campaign," Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Eva Betita said in an article posted Wednesday on the DFA website. Betita said the two arrests occurred on August 19 and October 17. While she did not give details about the Oct. 17 arrest, she said the Aug. 19 arrest by Brazilian Federal Police occurred at the Guarulhos International Airport. She said the Filipina was arrested after police allegedly found five kilos of cocaine in 15 bags, hidden in her luggage with false bottoms. "During the investigation, the Filipina told police agents that she bought the bags in the middle of the street in Sao Paolo and which she intended to sell in the Philippines. According to her, she was not aware that the bags contained prohibited substances," the DFA said. She had the chance to inform her sister of her arrest, the DFA added. Also, the DFA said the Philippine Embassy reported that from January to October 2010, 15 Filipinos were arrested in Brazil for drug trafficking, 13 of whom were women. The Philippine Embassy is monitoring 50 reported cases of Filipinos detained for drug trafficking under its jurisdiction. Detained Pinoys in Chile Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Santiago (Chile) reported the number of Filipinos detained for drug trafficking in countries it covers is also on the rise. Reports reaching the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) showed 23 Filipinos were arrested in Peru in 2010, 21 of them women. There are now 43 Filipinos detained for drug-related offenses in the countries covered by the Embassy, namely Chile, Peru and Equador, the DFA said. DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. warned of the stiff penalties imposed by other countries on anyone caught carrying illegal drugs. "We warn our countrymen from carrying drugs when traveling overseas and especially not to accept packages which they suspect contain drugs, and also to be wary of the modus operandi being used by drug-trafficking syndicates. If they are caught, they will face very dire circumstances," he said. Conejos also revealed that Filipino drug couriers, many of whom were enticed to go to a third country such as Thailand, were promised lucrative "jobs" by syndicate members. While there, the Filipino drug mules were met by their contact and given packages where the illegal drugs were concealed. The DFA has requested the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to continue its operations and redouble its efforts in light of the increasing involvement of Filipinas as drug mules. "The country is doing everything to arrest the drug menace, and with the cooperation of all, we hope that we can eradicate it once and for all. But ultimately, our people must take full responsibility for their actions by always being on guard against the inducements," Conejos said. He added the Philippines is undertaking comprehensive and proactive measures to address the 'drug mules' issue and to prevent the further victimization of Filipinos by international drug syndicates. These measures are being implemented in cooperation with the PDEA and other key government agencies. — LBG, GMANews.TV