Eight suspected West African drug syndicate members were arrested by immigration agents in two separate operations in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation in Las Pinas and Makati.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the aliens were apprehended in two separate operations conducted by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) in the cities of Las Piñas and Makati, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU).
Morente ordered the arrest of the aliens who will undergo deportation proceedings for being undesirable aliens and involvement in illegal drugs.
“However, they will to be criminally charged and prosecuted in court and, if convicted, they will have to first serve their sentences before we can deport them,” the BI chief said.
He said that all of the arrested foreigners have already overstayed in the country which constitutes enough ground for the BI to detain and deport them.
The BI-FSU Chief Rendel Ryan Sy said two Yemeni nationals, identified as brothers Ayesh Hazem Faiz Kadaf and Ayesh Hamzah Faiz Kadaf, were arrested inside their residence in Las Piñas City.
Also encountered and arrested in the operation was Mohamoud Mouhoumed Mohamed, a Djibouti national, who was caught in possession of dangerous drugs.
In another operation, the arresting team arrested Sudanese nationals Mohamed Alfaith Mohamed Saeed Osman, Eltayeb Ahmed Subahi Faris and Angolan Ciel Do Carmo Miguel Domingos who were also found in possession of illegal drugs at their residence in Gen. Luna St., Poblacion, Makati City.
Also arrested during the operation was Sri Lankan Mohamed Silmy Sahabdeen and Kyrgyztani national Anara Ruslanova, who were also caught with illegal drugs.
“We will not tolerate any foreigners destroying our communities by peddling illegal drugs,” Morente said.
“We are working closely with other government agencies to ensure that these criminals are deported and blacklisted from our country,” he added.
The eight foreigners are now detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.