BI intercepts passenger bound for Russia via Thailand, warns against illegal recruitment schemes

In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen border security and intensify the fight against human trafficking, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted a 50-year-old Filipina at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on July 27, after she was found to be a potential victim of human trafficking.

The victim initially declared that she was traveling to Bangkok, Thailand for a four-day vacation and was scheduled to depart on board a Philippine Airlines flight.

However, during secondary inspection conducted by the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES), she later admitted that her actual destination was Russia for employment.

Further questioning revealed that she had paid P170,000 to facilitators who allegedly arranged her recruitment and travel.

The passenger was immediately turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for investigation and the provision of appropriate assistance.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the case highlights the continuing efforts of traffickers and illegal recruiters to disguise overseas employment as leisure travel.

“Human traffickers and illegal recruiters continue to exploit Filipinos by coaching them to pose as tourists and conceal their true intentions. Our immigration officers remain vigilant in detecting these schemes to protect our kababayans from exploitation abroad. We urge the public to verify overseas job offers through legitimate government channels and never pay large sums to unauthorized recruiters,” said Viado. #