Despite repeated warnings by the  Philippine government, Filipinos  continue to be lured by syndicates in carrying illegal drugs in exchange for money, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported Saturday.

In her report to the Foreign Affairs department, Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady said that Filipino drug mules, mostly women, were caught with narcotic drugs in their luggage given to them by “friends” they met in transit or another country, such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Kathmandu, Nepal, Vientiane, Laos and Hanoi.

The drug syndicates, according to Brady, entice the Filipinos to engage in the illicit drug trade by giving the latter plane tickets and pocket money to travel to Hong Kong, Macau or Mainland China. Moreover, Filipinos are also promised that they would be paid at least $500 upon the delivery of drugs to a contact in their destination.

“Recently, some of those arrested came directly from Manila with drugs in their person or possession,” Brady revealed.

As a result, there are 183 Filipinos, mostly women, languishing in various jails in China because of drug trafficking. Since 2007, 48 Filipinos have been imposed the death penalty and 26 have received a life sentence for carrying narcotic drugs into China.

In addition, seven Filipinos have been imposed the death penalty, seven were meted life sentence, while another five received a sentence of at least 15 years’ imprisonment among those arrested in 2009 alone.

In 2008, around 111 Filipinos, again mostly women, were arrested for drug-related offenses in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau—a 594-percent increase compared to the 16 Filipinos arrested in 2007.

Among those arrested in 2007 and 2008, 41 have been imposed the death penalty, 19 were meted life sentence, while another 11 received a sentence of at least 15-year imprisonment.

As such, Brady underscored that China strictly imposes tough penalties against persons caught in possession of prohibited or dangerous drugs, citing that drug trafficking of 50 grams or more of highly dangerous drug like heroin maybe punishable by 15 years in prison, life imprisonment or death.

“I strongly urge Filipinos to resist any offer of financial reward from these syndicates for carrying prohibited drugs to China or to any other country in the world,” she added.