11 FOREIGN DRUG SYNDICATES AMONG SHABU SUPPLIERS TO 2 MILLION USERS

Eleven transnational drug syndicates are doing business in the Philippines,
supplying mostly shabu to more than two million users, according the
government's main drug enforcement body.

In a report submitted to President Macapa-gal-Arroyo released yesterday by
Malaca-nang, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said that aside
from trans-national syndicates, there are 215 local drug rings.

The figures surfaced during intelligence workshops conducted by the PDEA on
Aug. 30 and 31 last year.

The proliferation of drug syndicates makes drugs the country's biggest law
and order problem, the PDEA said. In fact, drug pushing is now one of the
most common street crimes, it said.

On Thursday, President Macapagal-Arroyo scolded top police officials for
not doing enough to bring down the incidence of street crimes.

Malacanang did not say if the report identified the syndicates or what
steps the PDEA is taking to fight the drug menace.

PDEA Director-General Anselmo Avenido Jr. cited statistics from the
Dangerous Drugs Board estimating the number of regular drug users at 1.8
million and occasional users at 1.6 million.

Avenido also said shabu (methampetha-mine hydrochloride) is the syndicates'
main product.

He said that last year, 3,489 barangays were considered to be drug-affected
barangays. That's eight percent of the country's 42,000 barangays.

Avenido said higher productivity, the ease in world travel, modern
communications and globalization have prompted shabu-source countries to
look for new markets.

The Philippines is one of the main targets for this expansion in Asia, he said.

The report also showed that shabu from China is smuggled into the country
mainly through the shorelines of Northern and Central Luzon and Southern
Tagalog, specifically Batangas, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Aurora,
Quezon, and the Mindoro provinces.

Other probable landing sites are Masbate, Palawan, Sorsogon, South
Cotabato, Davao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.