It’s now harder to trace money trail in drug transactions – Digong

DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte said that it has become difficult for authorities to track down the paper trail for drug transactions, as drug dealers have resorted to transacting via bank transfers or remittance agencies.

Speaking last Friday at the 25th homecoming event of the Center for Brighter Beginnings at the Davao Convention Center here, President Duterte said drug dealers have resorted to more electronic-based modus operandi.

The President mentioned the topic in passing as he mentioned earlier that there was a “twist” in the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in Caloocan.

However, he refused to reveal the details in full as the case was still under investigation.

“Dedeliver tapos mawawala. Tapos na ang transaction. Kinabukasan, bangko na iyan (After delivery, they disappear. The transaction is over. The next day, it’s all in the bank),” he said.

Duterte said authorities reported to him it had become difficult for authorities to catch drug buys as in some cases there was not even physical cash involved.

“Wala na iyong marked money na iyon. Bangko or iyong mga padala sa… iyong mga transmittal, iyan ang ginagamit (We can no longer use marked money. They now use the banks and the money transfer system),” President Duterte said.

“(It) makes it doubly hard for us really to catch them, iyan ang uso ngayon eh,” Duterte said.