Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have intercepted a South Korean wanted in his country for involvement in cybercrime and operating an illegal online gaming business.
In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina identified the passenger as 23-year-old Ju Minhyeok, who was intercepted last Thursday after attempting to board an Aseana Airlines flight to Incheon.
“The immigration officer who processed him saw that his name is in our Interpol watchlist, with our counterparts abroad requesting alert if he is encountered,” Medina said.
Medina said Ju was allowed to board his flight after alerting South Korean authorities about his impending arrival in Seoul.
“He was arrested upon his arrival at the Incheon airport where operatives from the cybercrime investigation squad of the Busan police were waiting for him,” Medina added.
According to lawyer Rommel Tacorda, BI-Interpol chief, Ju is wanted in Korea for violating the national sports promotion law for engaging in illegal gambling activities.
Tacorda said Ju allegedly conspired with other Korean suspects in operating several online gambling websites which solicited and accepted bets from Korean customers.
“Korean authorities charged that the suspects ran the sites called ‘Deadpool’ through which bettors could win or lose money by predicting the results of various sports competitions,” Tacorda said.
It was learned that it was only last April 11 that the Busan district court issued a warrant for Ju’s arrest, prompting the Interpol to issue a red notice against the fugitive.
He could be sentenced to a maximum jail term of seven years if convicted.(Jun Ramirez)