BI intercepts Chinese nat'l wanted for human trafficking

On Sunday afternoon, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) reported the interception of a Chinese national wanted in Beijing for trafficking and recruiting Filipino women to work illegally in China.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the suspect as Tong JiangLong, a 35-year-old male who was apprehended at NAIA Terminal 3 last Friday, 12 April as he attempted to depart the country via an AirAsia flight bound for Shanghai.

According to Tansingco, Tong's identity prompted a hit in the BI's Interpol derogatory records, revealing that he is wanted for evading prosecution in his country and that he is the target of a red notice.

"However, Tong was allowed to board his flight after the BI informed the Chinese authorities about his impending arrival in Shanghai," the BI chief said.

BI-Interpol acting chief Jaime Bustamante confirmed that Tong was immediately arrested after he arrived at the Shanghai airport, where Chinese police had been waiting for him since his flight from Manila.

"He is already in the custody of the Chinese police and is now behind bars pending his trial for the crimes he allegedly committed," Bustamante said.

According to the Chinese authorities, in December 2018, the Yongjia Public Security Bureau issued a warrant of arrest against Tong after he was accused of human trafficking and illegal border crossing.

The Chinese prosecution said that Tong, together with other suspects, had plotted between April and December 2018 to enable the passage of some 40 Filipino women into Vietnam, from whence they were subsequently brought into China through unauthorized border crossings.

Afterward, the women were hired as sex workers or as undocumented domestic helpers, which allowed their recruiters to make money.

However, Tong managed to avoid his arrest when he departed China, and he has been in the country since he arrived in March 2018.