Senegalese woman with 'fake visa, identity card' intercepted at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted a Senegalese woman with fake Schengen visa and identity card before she could board her flight to Taipei.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the woman as Binetou Dieng, 23 years old.
Tansingcos said Dieng attempted to board an Eva Air flight to Taipei en route to Milan, Italy at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Feb. 26.
He said BI officers were informed by Eva Air personnel that Dieng has counterfeit travel documents. Thus, she was subjected to further questioning, he also said.
“We suspect that this woman’s trip was facilitated by a syndicate engaged in the trafficking of Africans to Europe. We learned that she just arrived from the Middle East two days ago with a companion whom we suspect is a courier for the syndicate,” he added.
Dieng is now detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City pending deportation proceedings. Her name was included in the BI’s blacklist to prevent her from re-entering the Philippines.
“We commend the alert airline personnel who proactively alerted immigration of the fraud. Alert and well-trained airline staff are essential partners of immigration in combatting attempts of fraud and illegal travel,” Tansingco said.