Citing intelligence reports, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said four criminal organizations were involved in the illegal drug trade in the country.

He disclosed this on Wednesday during the BuCor’s anniversary celebration, admitting that despite stringent security measures, contraband such as illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia continued to find their way into the prisons.

Among the groups identified are Chinese triads, transnational crime syndicates from China, which have been linked to drug smuggling in the Philippines and across the region.

The Mexican cartels, while not as prominent, such as the Sinaloa cartel, have reportedly been attempting to establish a presence in the Philippines, primarily to traffick methamphetamine.

Local criminal syndicates are also involved in drug trafficking. These groups are often linked to political figures, law enforcement and other societal sectors, making eradication more complex.

Rebel and terror groups, like the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Abu Sayyaf Group, have also been suspected of engaging in drug trafficking to fund their activities.

Catapang said BuCor fully supports the national government’s efforts to strengthen collaboration in the fight against illegal drugs.

He said collaboration with other government agencies is vital to resolving the complex issues of drug use and trafficking in BuCor facilities and that was the reason he signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine National Police, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and National Bureau of Investigation in April this year.

The inter-agency group, which has an operation center and barracks inside the New Bilibid Prison compound in Muntinlupa City, was formed to concentrate on intelligence gathering, monitoring, and taking action to prevent drug-related activities inside the NBP and other prisons in the country.

Catapang said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla yesterday gave the group strategic guidelines and marching orders on how to address the issue of illegal drugs.

He said an inter-agency meeting will be convened to implement a more effective, stringent approach to eliminate the use of communication equipment inside prison facilities.

On the statement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla Jr. that the Marcos administration’s campaign against illegal drugs would focus on the supply side, Catapang said his agency will fully support this endeavor.

The BuCor chief noted that 70 to 80 percent of the more than 52,000 PDLs nationwide were in prison for drug convictions.

BuCor has new body scanners

Meanwhile, Catapang said the NBP has two new Soter RS full-body scanners capable of detecting items hidden within the human body. The scanners, the first in the Philippines, are at the national headquarters administrative building and the inmate visiting services unit at the NBP.

Catapang said the scanners will replace strip searches and cavity checks for visitors as they can detect items ingested or hidden under clothing and in private areas. He also announced plans to procure more scanners for other prisons nationwide.