16 Pinoys arrested in China as suspected drug couriers

MANILA, Philippines – Since the start of the year, 16 Filipinos have been arrested in China for suspected drug trafficking, raising alarm bells at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Citing reports from the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, the DFA said Filipinos continue to be used as couriers of drug rings in mainland China, including Hong Kong and Macau.

"The arrest of 16 Filipinos in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau in a span of two months this year is very alarming. It also indicates that drug syndicates continue to recruit Filipinos as drug couriers unhampered," Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady said in an article on the DFA website (www.dfa.gov.ph).

Of the 16, four were arrested in Guangzhou and three each in Xiamen, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau.

The development prompted the DFA to repeat its warning to all Filipinos intending to travel to China to refrain from engaging in drug smuggling, which is punishable by life imprisonment or death by firing squad.

"The Department further reminds Filipino travelers to China or any other country to not accept packages from other people without knowing the contents of the said packages," it added.

The DFA said that in 2008 alone, 111 Filipinos – almost all of them women – were arrested for drug-related offenses in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

This was a 594-percent increase compared to the 16 Filipinos arrested in 2007.

Of those arrested in 2007 and 2008, 22 have been sentenced to death, 12 were meted a life sentence, while 11 received prison sentences of 15-16 years.

For its part, the DFA said it would continue to closely monitor the cases of Filipino travelers arrested, imprisoned, or sentenced to death due to drug-related offenses in China. - GMANews.TV

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