eth am ph et am ine ▁production ▁D rug ▁synd ic ates ▁have ▁been ▁producing ▁m eth am ph et am ine ▁in ▁small - scale ▁and ▁kitchen - type ▁labor ator ies ▁to ▁avoid ▁detection ▁by ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁authorities ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Usually , ▁drug ▁synd ic ates ▁rent ▁w are h ouses ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁drug ▁labor ator ies . ▁These ▁synd ic ates ▁have ▁moved ▁towards ▁rent ing ▁houses ▁in ▁private ▁sub div isions , ▁cond omin iums ▁and ▁apart ments ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁bases ▁for ▁their ▁illegal ▁drug ▁production . ▁Private ▁properties ▁are ▁becoming ▁more ▁favor able ▁to ▁drug ▁synd ic ates ▁as ▁sites ▁of ▁illegal ▁drug ▁production . ▁ ▁M eth am ph et am ine ▁remains ▁more ▁feas ible ▁to ▁sell ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ▁than ▁c oca ine , ▁a ▁more ▁cost ly ▁illegal ▁drug . ▁ ▁O wing ▁to ▁its ▁ge ographical ▁location , ▁international ▁drug ▁synd ic ates ▁use ▁the ▁Philippines ▁as ▁a ▁trans it ▁hub ▁for ▁the ▁illegal ▁drug ▁trade . ▁Some ▁local ▁drug ▁synd ic ates ▁are ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁international ▁illegal ▁drug ▁trade , ▁and ▁util ize ▁drug ▁m ules ▁to ▁transport ▁small ▁amounts ▁of ▁illegal ▁dru gs ▁to ▁other ▁countries . ▁Some ▁over se as ▁Filip ino ▁workers ▁have ▁been ▁util ized ▁by ▁drug ▁synd ic ates ▁as ▁drug ▁m ules , ▁either ▁know ingly ▁or ▁un know ingly . ▁Most ▁Filip ino ▁drug ▁m ules , ▁mainly ▁women , ▁are ▁sent ▁to ▁China