Photo Courtesy of Bureau of Immigration 
NATION

Taiwanese fugitive nabbed on cruise ship arrival — BI

Kimberly Anne Ojeda

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday reported the arrest of a 54-year-old Taiwanese national wanted in the United States after being intercepted aboard a cruise ship arriving from Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The BI identified the foreign national as Tsai Chin Hao, who was flagged on 22 November when the MV Star Navigator entered Philippine territory.

An Interpol Red Notice linked to an outstanding U.S. arrest warrant triggered the alert, which was later verified by the BI Interpol Unit during routine inbound screening.

Eight BI boarding officers assigned to the agency’s Bay Service Section conducted the checks on the vessel and coordinated with operating units after confirming the hit. Tsai was later turned over to the Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit at the Port of Currimao.

The BI said deportation proceedings are now being prepared as authorities maintain coordination with foreign and local law-enforcement agencies for the case.