The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted a Chinese national suspected of being part of a gang involved in theft incidents aboard commercial airplanes. The 52-year-old suspect was intercepted upon arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on January 20, coming from Kuala Lumpur. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that the operation was facilitated by the Bureau's Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) Operations Center (APOC), which received an alert about the suspect's arrival. “This system provides advance information on suspected criminals, enabling us to arrange their interception,” Viado said. The suspect is believed to be part of a criminal group that steals cash and valuables from hand-carried luggage in overhead bins. After being intercepted, the suspect was denied entry to the Philippines, deported to his country of origin, and placed on the BI’s blacklist to prevent future entry.
