Authorities arrested a Korean national wanted for operating an online prostitution ring in his home country.
Below is the report of the immigration posted on their Facebook account:
Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives arrested on Wednesday morning a Korean wanted in his home country for operating an online prostitution advertising site.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente announced the arrest of Seo Jungnam, 41, in an operation conducted in Amor Riverside Anunas, Angeles City, Pampanga by operatives of the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (BI FSU).
The operation, in coordination with Korean authorities, was conducted upon receipt of information that Seo is a fugitive in Korea, with an Interpol Seoul Notice issued this December.
According to BI FSU Chief Bobby Raquepo, Seo has been in the country since 2015 and is a suspect in a sexual exploitation and prostitution case in Korea for allegedly placing prostitution advertisements online, as well as in business areas.
Korean online prostitution ring leader arrested in PH
An arrest warrant was issued against him by the Uijeongbu District Court in Korea in 2018. Seo, along with other accomplices, reportedly earned a profit of approximately 32M Korean Won or 1.3M Pesos by operating the online prostitution site under the name Playboy.
“We received information from our Korean counterparts that Seo’s passport is also undergoing revocation, making him an undocumented alien,” Raquepo shared.
Subject will be presented to the BI’s Legal Division for inquest, and shall be turned over to the BI’s Warden Facility in Taguig following Covid-19 testing.
Last week, BI also reported it barred from leaving the country last year close to 12,000 Filipino travelers as a result of the agency’s continued drive against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said immigration officers at the different ports of exit deferred the departure of 11,706 passengers, of which 9,411 were stopped at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The number of passengers whose travel was deferred was, however, 70% lower than the 38,522 travelers who were stopped from leaving in 2019.
“Travel restrictions and international flight suspensions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic naturally caused a tremendous drop in the number of Filipinos who traveled abroad in 2020,” Morente said.