Philippine terror groups linked to drug trade

Our reporter Shirley Escalante says that drug enforcement officials in the southern Philippines believe the trade is a new strategy of terrorist groups to raise money to fund their activities.

Philippine anti-drug official, Adzhar Albari, says it is considered an easier way of making money, compared to other operations such as kidnapping-for-ransom.

He says terror groups get their supplies of mostly metamphetamine hydrochloride, or ice, from China, and they have markets in the Philippines and Malaysia.

Mr Albari also heads the anti-drug Maritime Interdiction Coordinating Centre, which is part of the commitment of the US in assisting Philippine authorities in fighting narco-terrorism.

Drug enforcement and anti-terror operations are currently focused on the Basilan and Sulu provinces in the south of the country.