Fewer Filipino drug mules this year - PDEA

MANILA, Philippines - The number of Filipino drug mules arrested abroad this year went down compared to the previous year, the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said yesterday.

PDEA Director General Jose Gutierrez Jr. said only 11 Filipino drug couriers were arrested this year compared to 69 last year.

Gutierrez said the biggest number of Filipino drug couriers arrested abroad was 160 in 2009.

He said Task Force Drug Courier was created in 2010 due to the spike in the number of arrested Filipinos in 2009. The panel is composed of 13 government agencies chaired by PDEA and co-chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The PDEA chief said there are 695 Filipinos detained in various jails abroad because of drug trafficking. He said 328 are in China, 86 in the Middle East and Africa, 156 in the Americas, and 125 in Europe.

There are 73 Filipinos on death row in China, eight in Malaysia, and one in Indonesia.

Gutierrez, meanwhile, said illegal drug deals have become more “high tech” and now involve bank-to-bank and phone transactions.

During a forum at the Philippine Information Agency, Gutierrez sought the support of the government in acquiring new equipment including wiretapping devices.

He said the agency is having a hard time running after high-value targets including financiers of the illegal drug trade because of the technology they use in their remittances and deposits.      

Gutierrez also sought the help of Sen. Gringo Honasan to pass a law that would allow law enforcement agencies to use wiretapping devices as long as there is prior court approval.

“It will be like asking for a warrant from the court,” he said.