A Filipina was arrested in Thailand for bringing into the country 3.2 kilograms of cocaine, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.

With this, PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago reminded Filipinos travelling abroad against becoming couriers of illegal drugs following the latest arrest of a “drug mule”.

Santiago identified the arrested Filipina as Maria Elenita Rivera, 40, who is currently detained by Thailand authorities.

The PDEA chief said that Rivera was arrested last March 22 after arriving at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.

Rivera, who came from Lima, Peru, was found in possession of 3.2 kilos of cocaine by Thai authorities.

Santiago expressed deep concern over the increasing number of Filipinos, who are wittingly or unwittingly enticed by West African Drug Syndicates (WADS) members to become drug couriers following this latest arrest.

This is in spite of the repeatedly issued Travel Advisories since last year for all Filipino travelers not to accommodate any requests to carry baggage from strangers because these may contain dangerous drugs, he said.

The PDEA chief again reminded travelers to personally inspect the contents before agreeing to bring any baggage by request.

Santiago stressed that those caught transporting illegal drugs in another country can be meted the death penalty even if they did not know they were carrying such dangerous substances.

However, for those who willfully allowed themselves to be utilized as drug couriers despite repeated warnings through travel advisories by PDEA and other government agencies, Santiago warned that the agency will recommend that the Philippine government not to intervene in their cases.

In the meantime, the PDEA is working on a possible agreement with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) as part of efforts to educate overseas Filipino workers on the issue of drug mules through the inclusion of a dangerous drugs awareness lecture in the Pre-Departure and Pre-Employment Orientation Seminars.