Immigration intercepts suspected in-flight thief at NAIA

Immigration authorities at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted and denied entry to a Chinese national suspected of belonging to an international theft ring that targets passengers during commercial flights, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday.

BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the passenger as Zhou Wei, 52, who arrived at Terminal 1 on 20 January aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur.

Zhou was flagged by the bureau’s Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) before the flight landed. Melvin Mabulac, chief of the APIS Operations Center, said the system alerted officers to data linked to Zhou’s international travel history and alleged criminal ties.

Intelligence reports from foreign counterparts suggest Zhou is a member of an organized criminal group that specializes in stealing cash and valuables from hand luggage stored in overhead compartments.

Commonly referred to as a “salisi gang,” the group’s members are known to remove bags from overhead bins, return to their seats to discreetly search for valuables, and then replace the luggage without the owners’ knowledge.

Viado attributed the interception to the use of “goTravel” software, which was developed by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism with technical assistance from the Australian government.

“This system allowed us to receive advance information about suspected criminals, giving us the opportunity to make the necessary arrangements for their interception,” Viado said.

Zhou was placed on the next available flight to his point of origin. The Bureau of Immigration has blacklisted him, permanently banning him from re-entering the Philippines.