180 foreign fugitives, mostly Koreans and Chinese, nabbed in PH in 2024

INQUIRER file photo / ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 180 foreign fugitives wanted for various crimes were arrested in the country in 2024, said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday.

Based on a report by the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU), the arrested foreign nationals were composed of 74 Koreans, 62 Chinese, 12 Taiwanese, 11 Japanese, seven Americans, two Italians, and two Australians.

The BI-FSU also apprehended one individual each from Britain, Canada, Germany, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Nigeria, and Serbia.

READ: BI deports fugitive Indian crime boss

“Nearly all of them were already deported to their countries of origin where they are currently serving time in prison after being convicted for crimes they committed,” BI-FSU acting chief Rendel Ryan Sy told Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado, as quoted by the agency in a statement.

The BI said the offenses committed by the fugitives included economic crimes, investment scams, illegal gambling, money laundering, telecommunications fraud, robbery, and narcotics trading.

Some of the arrested were identified as members of the notorious “Luffy” gang, particularly, Takayuki Kagashima, Sawada Masaya, Ueda Koji, Sjuzuki Seiji, Kiyohara Jun, Nagaura Hiroki—all of whom were wanted for involvement in scams, extortion and fraud activities.

READ: BI: 128 foreign fugitives arrested in 2023

The BI also identified Australian Gregor Johann Haas and Serbian Predrag Mirkovic, who were wanted for illegal drugs; as well as Indian-Nepalese Joginder Geong on charges of murder, extortion and robbery.

Viado commended the BI-FSU as he pointed out that the number of foreign fugitives apprehended increased from the 128 arrested in 2023.

He then assured the public that it will sustain the BI’s intensified campaign against wanted foreign criminals who hide in the country.

“As we have repeatedly declared, the Philippines is off limits to all foreign fugitives. This country is not a sanctuary for alien criminals,” Viado said in the same statement.

“The order of the President is clear—protect our nation from external threats,” he added.