1 month ago
10
February 13, 2025 | 5:05pm
National Bureau of Investigation
PNA / File photo
MANILA, Philippines — Two Filipino women have been rescued from an African drug trafficking syndicate following a joint operation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Malaysian authorities.
In a February 13 press release, the NBI said that in January 2025, they received intelligence about a drug trafficking syndicate recruiting Filipinos to transport suspected drugs from Malaysia to Hong Kong.
The NBI-Dangerous Drugs Division (NBI-DDD) DDD probe revealed that the syndicate specifically targeted Filipinos facing financial hardship and those proficient in English.
The drug syndicate allegedlyb lured them with all-expenses-paid trips to Malaysia and Hong Kong, offering $5,000 (P290,285.03) for transporting packages from Malaysia to Hong Kong.
The recruits were told that the packages contained Malaysian goods ordered by Hong Kong businessmen.
The bureau said that it sent NBI-DDD team to Malaysia after verifying the information and confirming the identities of the two targeted Filipinos. The NBI worked both with the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia and the Royal Malaysian Police, Narcotics Crime Investigation Division.
The joint operation resulted in the arrest of a female syndicate member and the seizure of 2.3 kilograms of cocaine before it could be delivered to the Filipino recruits.
On Feb. 5, 2025, the NBI said the two women were successfully repatriated to the Philippines, preventing them from facing potential criminal charges in Malaysia.
The rescued women told investigators they were recruited by a Filipino citizen in the Philippines. While in Malaysia, they allegedly received allowances for food and sightseeing as they awaited their flight to Hong Kong.
The NBI said that it is working to identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate operating in the Philippines, including the Filipino recruiters.
