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Colombian drug cartel now in PHL —Duterte


A Colombian drug cartel has expanded its operations to reach the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday.

In a speech before barangay leaders in Pasay City, Duterte said the recovery of cocaine bricks in the country's waters point to the entry of the Medellin group of Colombia in the Philippines.

"We are facing a serious problem. Pumasok na ang cartel Medellin [ng] Colombia kaya nga maraming nakikitang cocaine," Duterte said.

Duterte said illegal drugs were being produced in old trawlers, then attached to GPS devices before being thrown into the sea.

The illegal packages would then be traced and retrieved by drug traffickers.

He said it would be very challenging to guard the country's entire shoreline to prevent the entry of illegal drugs.

"We are in danger dahil on the right side, ang Mexico, ang Medellin, Colombia, pumapasok. Dito kung makikita mo lumulutang shabu, cocaine. At mahirap ang Pilipinas dahil pinakamahabang shoreline," Duterte said.

"Kulang tayo. So I cannot afford na may isang patrol dito, island per island, ganun kahirap," he added.

‘Separately recovered but linked’

According to Mariz Umali's report on "24 Oras", a total of 165 kilos of cocaine amounting to P872 million has been recovered by authorities in the eastern seaboard of the country since February 10, 2019.

The latest discoveries of cocaine bricks were in Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Aurora.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) believes the separately recovered floating bricks of cocaine were linked and that international drug syndicates are likely using the Philippines as a trans-shipment point for illegal drugs.

"Itong cocaine ay hindi manufactured dito sa atin at 'yun namang cocaine plant ay hindi rin endemic dito sa atinm: PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said.

"Ito'y noted na galing sa mga international drug syndicates—ang Sinaloa drug cartel, Golden Triangle syndicate, at Chinese drug syndicate," he added.

Cocaine for the rich

Duterte said cocaine was the drug of choice of wealthier users.

"Shabu is the commodity of the poor, madali lutuin, madali ibenta kasi mura at marami ang market ng tao," Duterte said.

"Ang mga mayaman, cocaine 'yan, heroin at hindi masyado malalim ang tama kasi 'yang mga 'yan comes from an organic plant hindi kagaya nitong shabu," he added.

The President has warned that his remaining years in the leadership would be a "very dangerous" time to do drugs. —NB, GMA News

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