POLICE HAUL 140K OF SHABU FROM DRUG SYNDICATES AFTER FIRST HALF OF YEAR

Philippine law enforcement agencies have seized some 140 kilos of shabu,
worth P280 million, from 41 foreign - mostly Chinese - drug traffickers in
the first six months this year, a senator disclosed yesterday.

All of the drugs, except for some 22 kilos netted in Baguio City, were
confiscated in entrapment operations in Metro Manila, according to Sen.
Loren Legarda, an official of the Citizen's DrugWatch Foundation Inc.

Legarda's disclosure came a day after agents of the Presidential
Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) gunned down two Chinese men and
captured two Chinese women in drug raids in Quezon City and Makati City
that led to the seizure of 26.7 kilos of shabu, worth P53.4 million.

Citing a Philippine National Police report, Legarda said 29 of the foreign
drug traffickers captured from January to June face possible death
sentences once convicted in court.

She said all of those facing death verdicts are Chinese nationals, and they
include five women.

"It seems the increasing deployment of female couriers by foreign drug
syndicates is meant to avoid or minimize the risk of detection by law
enforcers," Legarda said, adding that women tend to arouse less suspicion.

Late last month, authorities seized 14 kilos of shabu worth P28 million
from two young Chinese women, aged 20 and 25, in a drug bust in Manila.

A 32-year-old Chinese woman, Ku-sho Ping, is one of 13 foreigners on death
row over drug convictions.

Of the 25 women now on death row, five are convicted drug dealers. Barring
executive clemency, only a Supreme Court reversal of their convictions
could possibly save them from hanging.