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Nabbed French fugitive offers captors P1.5-M bribe

Philippines | National

Nabbed French fugitive offers captors P1.5-M bribe

By Jun Ramirez

A French fugitive wanted in his homeland for alleged links to illegal drugs and other serious crimes was arrested in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) fugitive search unit (FSU) apprehended Julien Barbier, 37, at the Clark International Speedway in a joint operations with members of the Philippine National Police and the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines.

According to FSU chief Bobby Raquepo, Barbier was arrested following official communication received from French authorities that the foreginer was wanted for various offenses.

Raquepo bared that Barbier offered the arresting agents P1.5 million to buy his freedom and, as a result of this, two of his Filipino cohorts were also arrested for attempted bribery.

Raquepo revealed that Interpol has been monitoring Barbier since 2018 for unlawful transport of drugs.

A warrant of arrest was issued against him by the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris last August 2017, it was learned.

The fugitive was also linked to an illegal bank fraud syndicate that operated in Pampanga and Cebu.

Meanwhile, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente lauded the efforts of the FSU for the arrest of the trio.

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