THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested 37 Chinese nationals found illegally working in a construction site in Cotabato City, and three South Koreans wanted in Seoul for operating illegal online gambling dens.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the Chinese were discovered to be illegally working in the construction of a mall in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Chinese were arrested on the strength of a mission order issued by Viado following information from government intelligence sources that the construction of the building was being done by illegal aliens.
Most of those arrested were able to present their working visa, but were secured by a company other than their actual employer, in violation of the conditions of their stay.
Some were unable to present their pertinent documents, while the rest were merely holding tourist visas.
All 37 Chinese nationals face deportation charges and will remain in the BI’s custody pending deportation.
Meanwhile, the three Koreans were arrested in two separate operations conducted recently by members of the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU) in Metro Manila.
Arrested in Parañaque City was Kim Heechul while Seo Min and Kim Yongsu were apprehended inside their condominium unit on Scout Gandia in Diliman, Quezon City.
Kim is subject of an arrest warrant issued in May 2021 by the Jeonju district court in Korea for operating an online gambling site.
He allegedly conspired with other suspects in running the dubious websites since 2014 and was accused of receiving gambling funds, converting them into cryptocurrency, and distributing winning dividends based on online betting results.
On the other hand, Seo Min and Kim Yongsu was subject of arrest warrants by the Incheon district court in May 2023 also for running illegal gambling websites.
The websites’ operators reportedly raked in millions of profits estimated at roughly US$1.4 million from their illegal activities.
