NBI rescues two Filipinas from Malaysian drug syndicate

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) rescued two Filipinas who were recruited by an African drug trafficking syndicate in Malaysia.

During a press conference on February 13, NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago revealed that the women were repatriated on February 5 after being saved from a potential delivery of cocaine.

Malaysian police arrested an African female courier and seized 2.3 kilograms of cocaine before it could be delivered to the Filipinas.

The NBI is working with Malaysian authorities, including the Royal Malaysian Police Narcotics Crime Investigation Division, to identify and arrest the Filipino recruiter who hired them.

Santiago noted that the rescue operation was a result of coordination following an investigation into a drug courier arrested in Pasay City earlier.

He highlighted the importance of rescuing these individuals to avoid another case like Mary Jane Veloso's, who faced a death sentence for drug smuggling but eventually returned home.

The African Drug Syndicate targets financially distressed Filipinos fluent in English and lures them with promises of $5,000 and all-expenses-paid trips to transport packages they believe contain legal goods.