Pubdate: Sat, 23 Jul 2016
Source: Philippine Star (Philippines)
Copyright: PhilSTAR Daily Inc. 2016
Contact:  http://www.philstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/622

DRUGS AND SMUGGLING

The drug war is going big-time, with anti-narcotics agents killing 
the suspected operator of a shabu manufacturing facility in 
Valenzuela. Police raiders said Chinese national Meco Tan was shot 
dead when he tried to flee in his car during yesterday's early morning raid.

Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa warned that more 
large-scale drug traffickers would fall in the coming days, amid 
observations that the drug war has so far focused only on small-scale 
and mostly low-income street pushers and impoverished drug users.

Video footage of yesterday's raid showed sacks of suspected shabu 
precursors and the finished product piled high at Tan's home, which 
also allegedly served as his laboratory. With the large amount of 
substances found in that raid, authorities should complement the drug 
war with tighter controls on the supply of precursors for prohibited drugs.

The government must be as tough on smugglers as it is on drug 
pushers. The two criminal activities feed on each other, and most 
drug traffickers are engaged in both. In certain cases, prohibited 
drugs and precursors are reportedly transferred by traffickers from 
ships in the high seas to smaller vessels, which bring the substances 
to ports or coastal communities where they enjoy the protection of 
local government, ports or law enforcement personnel.

Several precursors of prohibited drugs are not banned, but their 
supply can be monitored and better regulated. Close monitoring of the 
supply chain can help anti-narcotics agents zero in on potential drug 
manufacturers and traffickers.

Apart from abetting the drug menace, smuggling is bad news for the 
economy, discouraging fair competition and therefore investments. The 
business community has not stopped complaining about rampant 
smuggling, which prospers because of corruption and protection 
provided by influential individuals.

President Duterte has vowed to "really level the playing field" for 
business. Making good on his promise inherently involves a crackdown 
on smuggling. And if he wants to sustain the gains in his brutal war 
on drugs, among the targets must be smugglers and their coddlers.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom