The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the arrest of a South Korean fugitive wanted by Interpol for alleged money laundering. The 50-year-old suspect was intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on January 11 while attempting to leave the Philippines. Immigration officers flagged the foreign national during primary inspection after the BI system registered an Interpol hit. Further verification confirmed that the suspect is the subject of an active Interpol red notice. A red notice is a request issued by Interpol to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted person pending extradition or other legal action. Interpol records showed that the suspect was allegedly involved in money laundering linked to a goods-purchase fraud syndicate in South Korea. The offense falls under South Korea’s Criminal Act and carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment. A warrant related to the case was issued by the Daegu District Court in July 2025. The BI said the foreign national will also face charges for being an undesirable alien under Philippine immigration laws. “This case shows how critical our coordination with Interpol and foreign counterparts is,” BI Commissioner Joel Viado said. “We will continue to strengthen these partnerships to ensure that individuals facing criminal charges overseas are intercepted and dealt with in accordance with the law,” he added.
