CHAPTER 15:

DRUG MULES/
COURIERS
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“Mule”or “Courier"
-It is someone who smuggles something across
a border for a smuggling organization.
- they are the individuals who transport
dangerous drugs in exchange for a huge amount
of money
- it depends on the amount of drugs to be
delivered and the route/ distance to be traveled.

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Drug Mules/ Couriers
The drug courier problem is a big challenge in
the Philippine government, especially for the
Philippine Enforcement Agency (PDEA)
Transporting illegal drugs using “drug couriers”
has become a worldwide concern since it poses
serious threats to health, it violates human
rights, and it cultivates illegal activities and
other crimes such as trafficking and
prostitutions

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 Region Male Female As of May 2011
Asia and the Pacific 87 238 325

Middle East and Africa `26 60 86

Americas 60 95 155

Europe 84 41 125

TOTAL: 257 434 691

According to PDEA there were 807 Filipinos jailed in

various countries as of July 2014 due to drug
smuggling.
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 Examples of Drug Courier incident in the
Philippines
In Quezon City, Kenneth Vallera, 22, and
Lynel Renz Gullepa were arrested in a sting in
Barangay Greater Fairview at around 5 p.m.
Saturday. Two kilos of marijuana, with a street
value of P300,000, a cell phone and marked
money were seized from them, police said.

A teenager who allegedly acted as a drug syndicate’s courier

was arrested in a sting involving 60 grams of methamphetamine
hydrochloride, with a street value of P408,000, in Taguig City, Saturday.
Alan Ali, 19, was reportedly sent by a certain Ismirah when
undercover police officers arranged to buy five grams of shabu from her,
according to National Capital Region Police Office chief Director
Guillermo Eleazar.Ismirah is reported to be behind the proliferation of
illegal drugs in Barangay Maharlika and neighboring areas, he added.

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B. Method of Concealment:
PDEA identified several methods of concealing drugs:
• Hidden in luggage/ suitcase (38%)
• Ingestion/ swallowing (29%)
• Placed in shoes (7%)
• Placed in bottom part of luggage (5%)
• Placed inside handbag (4%)
• Others (17%): undergoing minor operation; placing in shoeboxes,
books, bottles, parcels, etc.

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We should be very cautious in accepting
pagkages to be brought to relatives or
friends who are working abroad. We
need to be sure that the pagkages must
be free from any illegal drug content.
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 Another Example:
Joel Pilawin, officer in-charge of the Customs
Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), said 220
tablets of illegal drug are found hidden in a teddy bear
inside a package at the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA).
This Social issue can be attributed to the following
factors:
1. The prevalence of poverty
2. Poor educational background though some are
young professionals or office workers with
attractive personalities
3. Easy money
4. Unemployment
5. The idea of traveling free
C. Manners of Recruitment
-Drug Mules are usually recruited by casual
acquaintancies. Recruiters are mostly fellow
Filipinos connected to Drug Syndicates like the
African Drug Syndicates (ADF).
-It can also be done through the internet and
social media site (for example Facebook and
etc.)

The African Drug Syndicates (ADF)

- Is an international syndicate involved in
drug trafficking and cyber crimes.
-They use their connections to recruit,
through falsifying and stealing of documents.
Being friendly to their potential victims through
their well versed and proficient in English.
 The punishment given to those who will be
arrested varies. It may vary from repatriation,
imprisonment ( from 6 months to lifetime) ,
payment of fine, confiscation of personal
belongings andl or capital punishment.
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D. Government Response
With the execution of Ramon Credo, Sally Ordinario- Villanueva (in Xiamen) and
Elizabeth Batain (in Shenzhen) prompted the government to mobilize its resources to
save 691 Filipinos who are detained in 32 countries in drug- related cases.
Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Chairperson of the House of Committee on
Higher and Technical Education, expressed concern about the disclosure of the
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that 207 Filipinos are involved in drug cases in
China.
The number is more than the 157 that the Philippines’ five diplomatic posts in
China reported being imprisoned or tried in court as of end 2010, Angara said.
According to Rep. Angara, a total of 369 similarly -situated Filipinos in 31 other
nations also need assistance.
The 495- page DFA report on the status of migrant workers disclosed that there
are 76 Filipinos facing drug charges in Italy; 70 in Saudi Arabia; 44 in Brazil; 38 in Peru;
24 in Thailand; 20 in Hongkong; 17 in Macau; 11 in Spain; 9 in India; 8 in France; 7 in
Indonesia; 6 in Ecuador; and 5 in South Korea.

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The Task Force Drug Couriers (TFDC)
- It was created on February 08, 2010, by virtue of Administrative order No. 279.
-It is an inter- agency team tasked in the deterrence , prevention, and protection of
Filipinos from being victimized as drug couriers by international drug trafficking
syndicates
- it is composed of 13 agencies, chaired by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and
co- chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs with the following agencies as
members:
1. Bureau of Customs
2. Bureau of Immigration
3. Commission on Higher Education
4. Department of Justice
5. Department of Labor and Employment
6. Manila International Airport Authority
7. National Bureau of Investigation
8. Philippine Information Agency
9. Philippine National Police- Aviation Security Group
10. Tourism Infrasstracture and Enterprise Zone Authority (formerly Philippine
Tourism Authority
11. Office of the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary
E. What We Need to do
•Avoid bringing other peoples luggage/ packages especially when
you do not know what is contained inside. Do not trust anybody, even
acquaintances, when you are travelling abroad. Big amount of money
is not worth it.

•Be vigilant on people offering easy money and work abroad

especially when you are not sure on the nature of the job.

•Check if your recruiter’s/ recruitment agency’s papers and

documents underwent the proper process.

•In the Philippines, victims can seek help and report illegal drug
activities to authorities like PDEA, PNP or NBI

•For Filipinos abroad, they can go to the Philippine Embassy in the

country where they are staying.
Danke Schon
Thank You
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