2 foreign 'fugitives' arrested in Angeles City

Two foreign "fugitives" who are wanted in their respective countries have been arrested in Angeles City in Pampanga, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Monday, April 7.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado identified them as German national Kalus Dieter Boekhoff, 60, and South Korean national Ryu Hoijong, 48, who were separately arrested by operartives of the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU) in their respective residences in Angeles City last March 31.

“They were arrested pursuant to notices issued by the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) which sought the BI’s help in locating and arresting these fugitives,” said Viado.

He said the two fugitives will be deported and placed in  the immigration blacklist that bans them from re-entering the Philippines.

 The two arrested foreigners are now detained at the BI’s facility in Taguig City while awaiting deportation.

The BI said that Boekhoff is wanted by German authorities for his involvement in internet fraud.

 “Authorities alleged that since 2023 Boekhoff operated more than a hundred fake online stores that defrauded at least 590 victims who incurred combined losses of more than 81,000 euros,” it disclosed.

“He reportedly created the online stores with no intention of delivering the goods  ordered by customers and kept the advance payments for himself instead,” it said. 

 In the case of Ryu, the BI said the South Korean is wanted for larceny in his country.

“Ryu and his accomplice allegedly stole in 2015 a vehicle worth 40 million won, registered it to a third party, and later illegally sold it to a buyer,” it said.