Agents from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted two foreign fugitives at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on New Year’s Day using an advanced intelligence system that identified them while they were still in flight.

The BI reported Friday that a Mongolian national and a Turkish national were denied entry at Terminal 1 on 1 January and the interceptions were made possible by the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), which allows officials to screen high-risk passengers before they land.

Reports disclosed that one of the suspects — identified as Battulga Ganbold of Mongolia — arrived from Vietnam and was stopped after records indicated an active arrest warrant in South Korea for a drug-related offense.

The other suspect — identified as Ercan Mutlu of Turkey — arrived from Japan and was barred after officials confirmed he is wanted in Turkey for sexual exploitation and prostitution.

APIS Operations Center chief and BI spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said that the system generated alerts for both men while they were airborne.

The center coordinated with the bureau’s Interpol unit to verify the international warrants before relaying the data to airport personnel.

“The system provides advanced intelligence that enables authorities to identify high-risk passengers even before their arrival,” Mabulac said.