The Bureau of Immigration has arrested a South Korean fugitive wanted in his country for telecom fraud at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina identified the suspect as 31-year-old Jang Minki who was stopped at the NAIA Terminal 3 departure area last Feb. 13 as he attempted to board a flight to Osaka, Japan.
Medina said Jang was barred from leaving after the immigration officer who processed him saw that his name is in the International Police Organization’s list of foreigners who are in possession of invalidated travel documents.
“His passport was revoked by the Korean government in November last year after authorities learned that he fled his country to avoid prosecution for his crime,” Medina said.
The Korean is now detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City.
Citing information received from Korean authorities, Medina disclosed that Jang has a standing arrest warrant for charges of engaging in voice phishing operations that victimized many of his compatriots.
Described as a form of telecom fraud, voice phishing uses the telephone system to gain access to a person’s private personal and financial information.
It is usually used by fraudsters to steal credit card numbers or other information used in identity theft schemes from individuals.
Morente hailed the Korean’s arrest as another testament to the success of the BI’s joint project with the Interpol and other law enforcement agencies abroad in the effort to catch wanted criminals. (Jun Ramirez)
