Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) reported the apprehension of two international fugitives wanted by Interpol who attempted to depart the country last week to evade prosecution for crimes they committed abroad.

BI commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado disclosed that the two passengers were promptly stopped at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 before they could board their flights.

Viado said the men were taken into custody after immigration officers who processed their departure exit clearance discovered that their identities matched a positive result in the BI’s derogatory check system.

The BI-NAIA identified the two suspects as Jaime Alan Strauss, an Australian national, and Zverev Zakhar, a Russian national. Strauss was apprehended at NAIA Terminal 1 on 18 March while Zverev was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 on 20 March.

“They will be deported so they can be tried and punished for the crimes they committed, after which they will be included in our blacklist and banned from re-entering the Philippines,” Viado said.