Chinese National with Interpol Red Notice Barred from Entering Philippines
A Chinese national, 32-year-old Li Mingzhu, was recently prevented from entering the Philippines by Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers after it was discovered that he had an Interpol red notice for voice phishing fraud. Li arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on April 12, where authorities intercepted him due to the fraud allegations.
According to the BI, Li was reportedly engaged in communications fraud, specifically displaying different numbers on the screens of the individuals he called during his fraudulent schemes. A prosecutor’s office in South Korea had issued an arrest warrant for him in April 2023 for violating telecommunications laws.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational crimes like voice phishing. As a result of the red notice and fraud allegations, Li was added to the BI’s blacklist of foreign nationals, rendering him ineligible for entry into the country. He was subsequently deported back to his place of origin, which was Hong Kong.
This incident underscores the BI’s commitment to keeping the Philippines safe from individuals involved in fraudulent activities, especially those with red notices from international law enforcement agencies like Interpol.
