‘Drug syndicates using Facebook to recruit young Malaysian women as smugglers’

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister Richard Riot Jaem has said that young Malaysian women using social networking website Facebook were being lured by international drug syndicates with promises of significant rewards for delivering drugs for them.

“Most victims are befriended through Facebook. It (Facebook) can be a good friend. But it’s also a dangerous friend,” the Star quoted Richard, as saying.

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

Richard said that the Foreign Ministry has found that syndicate members of African origin befriended most of the victims.

“Nigerians and South Africans were involved in most cases, sad to say,” Richard said.

The Deputy Foreign Minister further explained that syndicates, after befriending their victims, would offer to pay for ‘holidays’ overseas, usually China, Japan and Latin America.

Some would even offer their victims thousands of ringgit in pocket money to spend on the trip.

The victims would also be asked to meet a ‘friend’ who would be the tour guide at the destination. (ANI)