Operatives from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Wednesday arrested a Chinese national wanted by Beijing authorities and Interpol for allegedly operating illegal online gambling websites.

BI commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado identified the suspect as Anrui Wang, who was intercepted Saturday at the NAIA Terminal 1 Immigration Departure Area before boarding a Philippine Airlines flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Viado said Wang was stopped after an immigration officer processing his departure noticed his name triggered a “positive hit” in the bureau’s derogatory alert system, indicating he was the subject of an Interpol red notice for evading prosecution.

After confirming Wang was the individual named in the Interpol red notice, BI supervisors detained him and turned him over to the BI Border Control and Intelligence Unit (BI-BCIU).

BI-Interpol Unit Acting Chief Peter de Guzman said Interpol issued the red alert for Wang in February 2022, two months after authorities in Feixi County, Hefei City, China, issued an arrest warrant.

A review of Wang’s travel history revealed he had overstayed his visa in the Philippines by more than two years. He arrived in 2022 and had not left the country since.

De Guzman added that Chinese authorities accused Wang of operating a gambling establishment, a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison under Chinese law.

Reports indicate Wang and collaborators allegedly created and operated online gambling sites for Chinese users between January 2019 and September 2021.

They marketed the platforms online, attracting a large number of users and generating income estimated at more than 78 million yuan or about $10.7 million.

Wang is currently detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending deportation proceedings.