A travel agency operating in Ermita, Manila was caught Friday in an alleged illegal recruitment scheme, prompting an entrapment operation by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Manila Police District (MPD).

The agency — identified as Reiven Air Travel and Tours Consultancy — was found to be recruiting workers for various jobs in Poland, including fruit pickers, factory workers and drivers.

According to DMW Assistant Secretary for Licensing and Adjudication Services Jerome Alcantara, the firm is allegedly colluding with a recruitment agency to collect fees and offer job promises to workers.

Atty. Jake Arcilla of the MPD said that surveillance on Reiven Air began last month. During the operation, agency staff accepted a P70,000 processing fee from an undercover officer posing as an applicant.

Authorities also shut down Reliable Recruitment Corporation, the licensed agency linked to Reiven Air, on the same day. Undersecretary for Licensing and Adjudication Services Bernard Olalia confirmed that Reliable holds a valid DMW license until 2026.

“The agency in question only has an accredited employer in Poland for mushroom pickers, but their job order is limited to that role,” Olalia explained.

One complainant, John, a former overseas Filipino worker in Qatar, said he was promised a mushroom picker job in Poland within six months when he applied in June 2024 but was left in limbo.

“They offered us jobs as mushroom pickers, but when our working visas came out, the position listed was factory worker,” he said, adding that Reiven Air used Reliable’s office for orientations.

John said that he spent P200,000 on the application process, acquired by pawning his land. Authorities confiscated 14 folders containing documents of workers scheduled to depart on 8 July.

Olalia said the DMW is now verifying how many individuals Reiven Air processed for overseas deployment.