‘M’sia transit point for Myanmar syabu’ claim
Published on: Sunday, May 19, 2019
By: Nikko Fabian
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Drug syndicates are using Malaysia as a transhipment point to illegally sneak methamphetamine (syabu) to the Philippines.
“We have this drug map for the region and for the longest time we have validated that syabu is coming to Region 9 from the national capital region. And just recently, our sources revealed that illegal drugs are also coming from Malaysia,” division chief (Plans and Operations) at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA), Aldous Restor, said.
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Disclosing this in the “Dateline Teleradyo” public service programme over GBPI TV 11, here, he said:
“We confirmed this report when Malaysian authorities in May 2018 seized more than 1.2 tonnes of syabu in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.”
He said further investigations revealed that the illegal drugs originated from Myanmar.
Based on intelligence reports, Aldous said PDEA strongly believes that Malaysia is being used as a transhipment point to deliver illegal drugs to the Philippines by drug syndicates/individuals.
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Malaysia, he said, has recorded only some 130,000 syabu addicts.
“So with the said 1.2 tonnes of syabu seized, it is not possible that the illegal drugs were intended for local consumption,” he said.
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Aldous also revealed that PDEA identified some 157 entry points where illegal drugs were being brought in undetected by the authorities in Zambasulta area, including nearby provinces and municipalities.
He said most of the entry points are ports, private wharves, unlicensed jetties and other landing sites.
The drug syndicates’ modus operandi includes concealing illegal drugs in smuggled rice and sugar shipments as barter trade commodities/items hoping to avoid detection from the authorities concerned.
He said PDEA is aware of the creative smuggling strategies of drug lords and it is for this reason that the authorities have intensified operations against drug smuggling and other contraband not only in Region 9 but also nationwide.
“The drug problem is still threatening the security in the entire Region 9,” he replied to a question.
Aldous said the crystal methamphatamine or syabu remains the drug of choice for 90pc of Filipino drug users.
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He said the vast coastline of Zamboanga peninsula and shortage of enforcement personnel and equipment have made it difficult for PDEA and other government agencies to effectively enforce President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing war on drugs in the area.
However, he said “our shortcomings never demoralised our personnel to continue to go after drug syndicates, drug lords, drug pushers, drug peddlers, including drug users.