National Bureau of Investigation office in Manila
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday said it prevented another “Mary Jane Veloso case” after rescuing two Filipino women from a drug syndicate in Malaysia.
According to NBI chief Jaime Santiago, the two unidentified Filipinos were intercepted in Malaysia right before they were set to receive a package hiding illegal drugs.
The rescue traces back to January 2025, when the NBI intercepted a Filipino drug mule at an undisclosed location where P25 million worth of cocaine was seized.
Further investigation of the case showed that an African drug trade syndicate lures Filipinos who are fluent in English and are in financial distress. They do so by baiting Filipinos to an all-expense-paid trip to Malaysia and Hong Kong, offering $5,000 to anyone who agrees to transport packages from the two countries.
Santiago said the NBI-Dangerous Drugs Division (NBI-DDD) then received information that two Filipino women were recruited by the syndicate to pick up a package suspected to contain illegal drugs in Malaysia and then transport it to Hong Kong.
“When the agents found out, I told them it’s better to save the Filipinos who are being victimized than to have another Veloso case,” Santiago said in a press conference.
Upon verifying the information, Santiago sent NBI agents to Malaysia to work both with the Philippine Embassy there and the Royal Malaysian Police, Narcotics Crime Investigation Division.
“The Malaysian Police coordinated with us. They were cooperative and the primary drug mule was caught in Malaysia before they could even pass the drugs or cocaine here in the Philippines,” he said.
“So we were able to save them and bring these people to the country,” he added.
The syndicate member who was supposed to deliver the illegal drugs to the two Filipino victims was a female Sierra Leonean. Around 2.3 kilograms of cocaine, estimated to be worth P15.6 million, were seized.
Santiago said the two Filipinos were repatriated on Feb. 5. Since the drugs were intercepted before reaching the two women, Santiago said both Filipinos would not face any legal liabilities
He also assured the public that the NBI is working to identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate operating in the Philippines, including Filipino recruiters.