Drug syndicates eye call center Agents, “complicated” women

Narcotic agents recently admit drug trafficking syndicates diversify into recruiting call center agents and social network members as drug mules.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Jose Gutierrez Jr. shared Wednesday that drug syndicates eye call center agents for their fluency in language and their glib speaking prowess.

On the other hand, he said syndicates are also prone to seek women who put in complicated status in their profiles.

Short of saying that these women could easily be lured into “quick” marriages, Gutierrez hinted that syndicates go to great lengths especially into marrying to legitimize the travel of drugs using clean couriers.

Moreover, persons with these characteristics can easily slip through borders in the guise of tourists or fiancées only to jump into the trap of illegal business of transporting drugs.

At the Visayas Launching of the government’s Anti-Drug Mule program, General Gutierrez said several countries are more considerate on women and children, or those pregnant women while traveling so they could slip through casua. frisking at airports or boundaries.

The frisking of women has become a standard operation procedure as the PDEA has notice that the recent modus operandi is to hide the stash, not anymore on false bottom luggage.

He said drug syndicates have asked their couriers to hide the drugs in their under apparels or in their body parts, as some PDEA have netted packages inserted in women’s sex organs.

The latest modus is to ask the courier to swallow the packed drugs and cross borders only to retrieve the package as one relieves across borders, said Gladys Rosales, PDEA operations and planning officer.

Gutierrez said he has witnessed the growing number of OFWs arrested and detained for transporting illegal drugs and narcotics.

“It is sad,” the retired military general said, “because they are unwittingly lured to earn substantial amount of fast buck” by taking advantage of our poverty.

They may pay for the applicant’s airfare, pays placement fees, marries women and makes sure these workers get used to lavish spending so that as contract work expires, they are left craving for the luxurious life.

These people in difficult situations now would be easily pushed into the high paying but extremely dangerous drug trafficking.

The issue has become alarming as the figures show.

From two arrests in 1993, some 689 have Filipino’s have been arrested as drug couriers in 2010, said Gutierrez. (racPIABohol)