Criminology and Psychology

At least seven Cordillera women aspiring for overseas work have turned up in Hong Kong detention centers after they were accused of acting as “drug mules” for an illegal drug syndicate, the Inquirer learned on Tuesday. A “mule” is the law enforcement term for an unwitting drug courier, according to officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) here.Ebgan Inc., a gender rights group, said all of these Filipinos are women, who were enticed to travel to China for free.Lynn Madalang, Ebgan executive director, said the offer of free Hong Kong trips is convenient for local women applying for work overseas.“Some of them are escaping bad relationships or abusive spouses, so a free trip is so tempting, even if you should be concerned that there doesn’t seem to be any strings attached,” Madalang said.She said many migrant workers also believe that proof of travel would increase their chances of securing travel visas for work abroad. But the women were asked to carry suspicious pieces o...