Drug syndicates using Facebook to recruit young women as mules

By MOK CHEE KIT

The drug mules are turning from bad to worse, says Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem.

Kuala Lumpur, social networking site Facebook become a new hub for drug syndicates to find mules.

The Foreign Ministry call on varsity-age Malaysian especially girls to be alert from being lured by international drug syndicates to help them transport their drugs by promises of rewards, said deputy minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem.

How syndicates execute their plan.

Richard said that the very first step of the syndicate will be friends with the victims on the Facebook, and most of the syndicate members are African origin.

He also explained after they befriend in Facebook, the syndicates will offer the victims to travel overseas, usually are China, Japan and Latin America. Other than that, the syndicates will also give the victims thousands of ringgit for pocket money to spend on their trip.

Some of the victims provided the photos of their Facebook ‘friends’ who ask for helped to carry their bags or deliver a ‘gift’ to people in other countries were not very good looking and very black.

There is an international survey firm which is TNS reported that Malaysians had the most ‘friends’ on Facebook and spent nine hours daily on average surfing on Facebook.

TV Program to increase public awareness

According to Ministry, he said that RTM broadcast a weekly program to raise awareness among young people.

“We have a slot on RTM where we provide advice on various issues for youth. But we stress a need for Malaysians to be very cautious when going overseas,” he said.

Since 1991, he said 785 of 1560 Malaysians arrested overseas were drug mules whereby 149 are women.

In the latest case, a 22-years old girl called Cristina Luke Niju from Sabah was arrested with 1.4kg of narcotics in Guangzhou, China last month.

“Young people especially girls must be more cautious. They can be easy prey to syndicates and their empty promises,” he said.

He also calls on Malaysian not to help others who request to carry their bags or stuff when they are travelling to avoid from the problem occur.