Polish drug mule nabbed in Manila

A POLISH woman believed to be a member of the West African Drug Syndicate (WADS) has been arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Barbara Eva Ziontkowska, a 38-year-old native of Poland who lives in Dublin, Ireland, was picked up by agents in a hotel in Ermita, Manila, on Saturday.

Her arrest was part of a follow-up operation following the capture of another member of the syndicate, an Indonesian woman, earlier this month.

Media Aprideri was arrested on May 19 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport based on a tip forwarded to authorities.

A search of her suitcase yielded 3.26 kilos of high grade kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” valued at P17 million.

Ziontkowska recently arrived in the country to take the drugs from Aprideri who, at that time, was already in the custody of the NBI.

The syndicate, however, was apparently unaware that Aprideri had been arrested because a leader of the group, identified only as Freddy, continued to call her up to give instructions.

Upon the NBI’s coaching, Aprideri told Freddy that she was sick and could not deliver the drugs to Malaysia and Indonesia, NBI official Ross Jonathan Galicia said.

Freddy then told her that he would send another courier to a hotel in Manila to take over her job.