March 26, 2012

        The relentless crackdown against international drug syndicates scored anew following the arrest of a Malaysian drug courier or human mule, and the confiscation of P15 million worth of shabu during an operation by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Pasay City over the week-end.

       The suspect was identified by NBI Officer-In-Charge Atty. Nonnatus Caesar R. Rojas as:

     BING SYE POH, 37, Malaysian national, and a resident of 347 Jalan Bk 2/7 Bandar Kurara, Puchong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

       SInvestigation conducted by the Reaction, Arrest and Interdiction Division (RAID) headed by Atty. Ross Jonathan V. Galicia led to the discovery of the WADS cell which utilizes Vietnamese, Malaysian and Filipino drug couriers to smuggle methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from Africa to the Philippines.

        The syndicate uses different nationalities to deliver or pick up the drugs to mislead authorities of their modus operandi. Earlier, an information was received by the NBI that a West African Drug Syndicate (WADS) based in Africa shipped into the country an undetermined quantity of cocaine and shabu on March 23, 2012. A courier by the name of Bing Sye Poh was sent by the group to the Philippines via Air Asia Flight No. AK 1438, Clark Terminal, Pampanga to pick up the luggage/suitcase and transport it to its final destination. Poh was billeted at Crosswinds Asian Hotel in Parañaque area. NBI operatives continued to check his whereabouts.

        At 12:00 noon of March 23, 2012, Poh was spotted en route to the said hotel. He checked-in using the name Bing Sye Poh "David." Minutes after checking-in, NBI operatives saw him leaving the hotel and boarded a taxi without any luggage. NBI agents discreetly trailed him. Poh alighted along Buendia corner Harrison St., Pasay City and was seen entering a private compound.

      Minutes later, Poh came out carrying a brown leather luggage/suitcase and boarded a taxi not knowing that the driver is an NBI agent. Poh instructed him to proceed to the hotel. However, while traversing along Taft Avenue before reaching the intersection of EDSA , Rotonda, Pasay City, Poh alighted from the taxi. He placed his luggage at the sidewalk and started running in the middle of the road towards EDSA prompting the NBI operatives and gave chase. He was eventually caught inside a supermarket along EDSA, Pasay City.

       When questioned, Poh disowned the luggage and allegedly was only requested by his friend "Pepe", also a Malaysian national to come to the Philippines and pick up a luggage from a certain person with codename "666" and bring it to Malaysia in consideration of US$1,500.

       Charges for violation of Section 5 (Transportation of Dangerous Drugs) Art. II of RA 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001) were filed against the suspect before the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office.