Airport security officers discovered 22 Philippine passports in the possession of the suspected human trafficker.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has apprehended a suspected courier of a human trafficking syndicate at Clark International Airport (CIA) in Angeles City, Pampanga.

In a report given to BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI-CIA Chief Joseph Quizon said the passenger was intercepted last Monday, 21 October, as she was about to board her flight to Taipei.

Quizon said the passenger is a Filipino-Taiwanese, whose name was not divulged due to a prohibition in the anti-trafficking law.

The suspect was stopped after airport security officers discovered 22 Philippine passports in her possession.

“The passports were found inside her luggage and she admitted during questioning that these belong to people who were recruited by her bosses to work in Malta without appropriate permits and proper documents,” Quizon said.

He added that the victims already paid the syndicate P150,000 in return for processing their working visas in Malta which would be done in Taiwan.

BI officers Virgilio Notario Jr. and Maria Rocio Theresa Ayson of the Bureau’s Travel Control and Enforcement Unit said the suspect identified the two Maltese nationals as her contacts who would arrange the job placement of the victims.

“We have learned that some of the recruits were already demanding the return of their money as they had waited too long and given up on their overseas job prospects,” Notario and Ayson reported.

The suspect, who was allegedly a former Filipino from Pampanga, was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for investigation and filing of charges.

Morente, meanwhile, reiterated his warning to would-be OFW not to deal with illegal recruiters or they might end up losing their life’s savings.

“Deal only with licensed recruiters to ensure that your rights and welfare are guaranteed and protected,” the BI chief said.