IN JUST four months, a dozen Singapore women have been caught here and elsewhere for making drug runs after they were persuaded to do so by West African men, who seduced them with love, money and offers of travel.

In the five years between 2003 and 2007, only eight female drug mules were caught.

The sudden surge in numbers was revealed by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) yesterday, in a warning to women not to be fooled. Last December, five were arrested overseas. It is barely three months into the year, but seven more have been arrested, including two who are staring at the death penalty after being stopped before they left Singapore.

In a statement, the CNB said: 'Singaporeans should not allow themselves to be made use of by foreign drug syndicates and should reject any suspicious offer of free travel or paid holidays.'

The instigators were described as members of West African drug syndicates who were mostly Nigerians aged between 20 and 30. Some claimed to be businessmen who dealt in used cars or electronic goods.

Based on investigations, the syndicate members approached women in public places such as pubs or on social networking websites, and befriended them.

'Many of these female Singaporean drug couriers were cajoled into carrying out the drug runs, with promises of love and friendship or inducement of free holidays or cash payment,' said the CNB.

Typically, the women were told to fly from Singapore to another country to pick up the drug stash, and then on to a third to drop it off. The Straits Times reported last month that some women were stopped at airports of countries including Japan, Britain, Argentina, China and Australia, with drugs like heroin and cocaine.

One case involved a woman in her early 20s who was caught in 2007 at the Melbourne airport carrying cocaine.

She had met her 'boyfriend' three years before while shopping at Raffles City. He claimed to be an exporter of used electronics to Nigeria. The 'love affair' continued even after he was repatriated to Nigeria, where he arranged for them to meet in Bangkok for a rendezvous. It was there that he asked her to carry out a drug run. All she had to do was fly to Melbourne and pass the drugs to a third party. She agreed - and swallowed 64 pellets of cocaine.

Some of the women caught are now serving time, including this one. One was sentenced in London in 2007 to 10 years, while others are awaiting sentencing. Many of them carried the contraband in suitcases with false bottoms.

While none of the instigators had previously been caught, the CNB scored a breakthrough recently with the arrests of four West Africans along with three Singaporeans for drug offences. The bureau had launched two operations, with information from the regional authorities. Two kilograms of Heroin No. 4 were also seized.

To date, two Singaporean men who accompanied the women on their drug runs have also been arrested.

Singaporeans are said to be prized as drug couriers. Their law-abiding image and the Republic's known stance against drugs mean that there is a higher likelihood of them making it past checkpoints. Also, many countries do not require Singaporeans to have a visa.

The CNB has asked those who are unsure if they are being made use of to contact the bureau on 1800-325-6666.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.