Maritime bodies, PDEA vow to stop drug smuggling

Maritime bodies, PDEA vow to stop drug smuggling
RAFFY AYENG June 22, 2019 https://www.manilatimes.net/maritime-bodies-pdea-vow-to-stop-drug-smuggl...

THE country’s maritime regulators — Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) — have entered into an agreement with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in securing key private and public seaports to stop the entry and exit of illegal drugs.

In an Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) Enforcement Cluster Meeting last June 18 at the PDEA national headquarters in Quezon City, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino in a statement said the agency was dealing with big drug peddlers capable of using private yachts and boats, as well as airplanes and helicopters in smuggling contraband such as illegal drugs into the country.

“International drug syndicates are capable of using private aircraft, including helicopters and seaplanes, and boats and yachts as modes of transportation to fly in and land drug contraband using these privately owned facilities,” the statement read.

In curbing drug smuggling through the ports and the high seas, the PDEA said it had established seaport interdiction units assigned to 13 key seaports nationwide, and has forged agreements with Marina, PPA and PCG.

It added that the interdiction units were empowered to inspect all maritime transportation in the country’s 1,200 private seaports.

“Before, drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) are shipping tons of illegal drugs, either finished products or raw materials, through shipside smuggling in the high seas, airports and seaports. But, now, they have included in their itineraries unmanned landing strips and private ports as drug transit routes,” Aquino said.

The PDEA chief noted that illegal drugs could reach the country’s shores through seaplanes and small sea vessels, including boats and yachts.

“The DTOs reportedly dumped their contraband overboard to be retrieved later by their local contacts using nets delivered in nearby coastal areas,” Aquino said.

In a separate interview, Capt. Jesser Cordova, director of the Nautical Maritime Safety and Security Agency, said there was a clear implication that crimes did not only happen on the streets.

“Maritime security is indeed being neglected, as international criminals such as drugs smugglers/peddlers; terrorists, etc. utilize most of our maritime ports, vessels and the sprawling waters of the country in diffusion of their crimes. [Ninety percent] of the trade, legal or illegal, [are] carried by ships and happen at ports,” Cordova added.

The cluster meeting was also attended by 21 member-agencies, which included the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, PNP Aviation Security Group, Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine Navy, Office for Transportation Security and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.