MANILA, Philippines—Dangerous Drugs Board chair Vicente Sotto III raised the alarm on Wednesday over the proliferation of Filipino “drug mules” following the arrest of another compatriot in China on Tuesday night.In a press conference at the House of Representatives, he said the 33-year-old woman was arrested while allegedly trying to smuggle an undisclosed volume of heroin at the Shanghai airport. Sotto said he was not at liberty to identify the suspect, who was facing possible life imprisonment or death. Just last September 15, a 25-year-old man was also arrested in the same airport for allegedly attempting to sneak into China 1.2 kilos of heroin kept in his hand-carry luggage, he said. In both instances, he said the suspects boarded Cebu Pacific flight number 5J678 from Manila. “We already have a problem with the importation of illegal drugs in the Philippines,” he told reporters. “Now, we’re exporting them.” Sotto said the woman arrested Tuesday night concealed the contraband in five pairs of shoes in her hand-carry bag. He said authorities were still trying to determine the value of the seized heroin. “We are warning our people against accepting offers to carry illegal drugs in exchange for money,” he said. “It’s not worth it.” | 
