Drug syndicates' new tack: Call center agents eyed for drug mules - PDEA6

CEBU, Philippines - Call center agents beware!

Drug syndicates are out to try enticing the services of call center agents as drug couriers, or drug mules, because the latter's good communication skills.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-6 regional director Paul Ledesma said foreign and local drug recruiters want drug mules who are articulate because they can communicate with them easily and could smartly answer anyone in English.

In a recent press conference, the PDEA-6 official said drug syndicates will use all means and different people, and will spend a hefty sum to carry out their crime.

One of the many schemes they use is for a foreign drug member to marry a Filipina. When she became pregnant, she is sent on a drug carrying mission to China where authorities are lenient to women carrying a child.

Another is to lure a prospective OFW with huge amount of money reaching to as much as $2, 000 or more with free tickets going abroad. They also turn to a cash-strapped OFW who is willing to take risk in carrying out the job in exchange for a huge fee.

Ledesma said that, last year, PDEA-6 apprehended 14 members of the West African Drug Syndicate (WADS) in its "Operation Homerun." Of those arrested, nine were Nigerians, two Filipinos, one Thai, one Chinese and one Malaysian.

Seized from them were two kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin and 14 kilograms of shabu. The PDEA-6 was able also to rescue one Filipina drug courier.

PDEA-6 wants every Filipinos to be aware of this crime and wants it stopped with the help of alert and concerned citizens.