EX DRUG MULE: 50 FILIPINOS DETAINED IN BRAZIL; DINEDMA LANG DAW NANG NBI AT DRUG ENFORCEMEMNT ANG KAYANG SULAT; PHILIPPINES ANG CENTER NANG REPACKING

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/04/02/11/50-pinoys-jailed-brazil-drug-trafficking

MANILA, Philippines – Many Filipinos are also in jail in South America for drug related cases.

This was revealed to ABS-CBN News by a former drug mule, “Japa” (not his real name), who recently returned to the Philippines after serving more than a year in a jail in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for drug trafficking.

Japa said he came from Thailand where he met with a Nigerian and his Filipina wife. It was in Thailand where the couple taught him how to smuggle a bag with 2 and a half kilos of cocaine.

He was supposed to pick up the bag in Brazil and deliver the same to Spain and Hong Kong for $5,000. However, he never made it out of Brazil as he was arrested at the airport in Rio de Janeiro.

“If you just say you're guilty and say how regretful you are, they would just give you the minimum sentence of one year and 11 months,” he said.

While in jail, Japa said he was made to work as an assistant to the director. It was there where he discovered that since last year, there were 50 Filipinos detained in several jails in Brazil for drug related offenses.

"80% ng mga napiit alam po nila ang mga ginagawa nila. They took the risk because alam naman po natin na lahat 'yun dahil sa pera,” he said.

Prior to his trip to Brazil, Japa already approached ABS-CBN in 2008, prepared to reveal the syndicate using Filipinos as drug mules.

He also wrote letters to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), but did not receive any reply from the government.

From South America, Japa added that China and Vietnam are the “end target” or destinations of the illegal drugs.

But before it is delivered to China or Vietnam, the drugs have to go to the Philippines for repacking.

“Nagiging international trade center ang ating bansa. Sapagkat mula po sa South America, dinadala po dito sa Pilipinas,” he said.

He also revealed that he once met Prescy Evangelista, the alleged recruiter of executed Pinoy Ramon Credo.

He said he met Evangelista who was then selling “hot tickets” or cheap airplane tickets in Macau which she obtained from hacking the Internet.

When her illegal business was discovered, Evangelista allegedly shifted to drug trafficking operation headed by Nigerians, Pakistani and Chinese financiers.

Henry Omaga-Diaz, ABS-CBN News