BI foils human trafficking try at NAIA; four foreigners caught with fake travel papers

MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers have stopped an alleged attempt to smuggle a family of four suspected Arab nationals out of the Philippines to the United Kingdom (UK) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

A mother and her three children were halted at the Naia Terminal 3 as they attempted to board a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong en route to their final destination in the UK, according to BI.

The family presented Seychelles passports to the airlines and immigration officers, who then questioned the authenticity of the travel documents.

READ: MIAA probes fake airport passes used for human trafficking

Detailed analysis by the BI's forensic documents laboratory confirmed that the travel documents were counterfeit.

“They are now undergoing investigation by our legal division after which they will be sent back for using spurious immigration documents,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement released by the Office of the Press Secretary on Thursday.

“It is apparent that the foiled human trafficking try was the handiwork of an international syndicate that attempts to use Manila as a transit or jump-off point for its victims,” he added.

Later, BI personnel also found that the foreigners' UK national identity cards were fake.

BI port operations chief, Attorney Carlos Capulong, said the passengers arrived in Manila last November 6 and stayed in the country for more than two weeks before booking their outbound flight.

“Until now, we are still trying to ascertain their true nationality as there is difficulty getting information from them,” Capulong said.

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KGA/abc