Drug Syndicate from West Africa Busted in Manila, Philippines

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of eight foreign nationals suspected of being members of a big-time illegal drugs syndicate.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the aliens were apprehended on Friday during operations conducted by operatives from the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) in the cities of Las Piñas and Makati, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU).

According to Morente, he issued the mission orders authorizing the arresting teams to effect the arrest of the aliens, who will undergo deportation proceedings for being undesirable aliens due to the involvement in illegal drugs.

“However, they will to be criminally charged and prosecuted in court, and if convicted, they will have to first serve their sentences before we can deport them,” the BI Chief said.

He bared that all of the aliens have already overstayed in the country which constitute enough ground for the BI to detain and deport them.

The BI-FSU Chief Rendel Ryan Sy said two Yemeni nationals, identified as brothers Ayesh Hazem Faiz Kadaf and Ayesh Hamzah Faiz Kadaf, were arrested inside their residence in Las Piñas City.

Also encountered and arrested in the operation was Mohamoud Mouhoumed Mohamed, a Djibouti national, who was caught in possession of dangerous drugs.

In another operation, the arresting team arrested Sudanese nationals Mohamed Alfaith Mohamed Saeed Osman, Eltayeb Ahmed Subahi Faris and Angolan Ciel Do Carmo Miguel Domingos, who were also found in possession of illegal drugs at their residence in Gen. Luna St., Poblacion, Makati City.

Also arrested during the operation was Sri Lankan Mohamed Silmy Sahabdeen and Kyrgyztani national Anara Ruslanova, who were also caught with illegal drugs.

Morente lauded the arrest and warned illegal aliens in the country. “We will not tolerate any foreign national destroying our communities by peddling illegal drugs,” said Morente. “We are working closely with other government agencies to ensure that these criminals are deported and blacklisted from our country,” he added.

The eight foreigners are now detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending their criminal trial and conduct of deportation proceedings.