Venezuela Welcomes First High-Level Criminal Deportee From U.S.

Venezuela Welcomes First High-Level Criminal Deportee From U.S.

The interior minister stated that the deportee is affiliated with a gang from Trujillo state known as ‘El Cagon,’ without providing further details about the individual’s identity.

Venezuelan officials announced the arrival on Sunday of a fresh batch of 175 expellees from the U.S., which included a notorious gang leader — this being the initial instance where Caracas acknowledged that a convict was part of such returnees.

US President
Donald Trump
Since taking office in January, they have initiated a stringent approach towards immigrants, resulting in the deportation of numerous individuals to Latin American countries. These people have been labeled as “criminals” by their government.

“For the first time, during these trips… an individual of significance has arrived who is wanted by the Venezuelan judicial system,” stated Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

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The minister also stated that the individual “does not come from Tren de Aragua,” alluding to the Venezuelan gang which Washington has labeled as a “foreign terrorist organization” and alleges that numerous deported Venezuelan migrants are affiliated with this group.

Cabello welcomed the migrants at the Maiquetia International Airport, which serves Caracas.

“He is associated with a gang from Trujillo state, known as ‘El Cagon,’ ” Cabello said, without providing additional information about the criminal’s identity.

Cabello mentioned that regarding the migrants received by
Venezuela
So far, none have been part of Tren de Aragua.

In 2019, Venezuela and the United States severed their diplomatic ties, but they reconciled in January to discuss arrangements for deportation flights.

The collaboration was halted for a month following Washington’s crackdown on Venezuela’s oil industry, but services restarted just last week.

The flight that arrived on Sunday was the third to land since operations resumed.

Altogether, 918 individuals have reached Venezuela following their deportation from the United States. Additionally, 553 migrants have come back from elsewhere.
Mexico
, though it remained uncertain if they had been initially deported from US territory.

On Saturday, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro stated that the U.S. had deported 324 Venezuelan immigrants to a high-security prison.
El Salvador
, noting that an official list had not been supplied.

According to the
United Nations
Nearly eight million Venezuelans have departed their nation due to an economic crisis that started showing signs of improvement in 2021.

The authorities assert that over 1.2 million individuals have come back.

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King Mohammed VI Pardons 1,533 Convicts Ahead of Eid Al-Fitr

King Mohammed VI Pardons 1,533 Convicts Ahead of Eid Al-Fitr

In celebration of Eid Al-Fitr, King Mohammed VI has issued a royal pardon for 1,533 people who were sentenced by different courts throughout the country, as stated by the Ministry of Justice in an official announcement.

Out of those granted pardon, 1,203 individuals are still serving their time in prison, whereas 299 have been released. The act of mercy encompasses various measures such as reducing sentences, granting full or partial pardons, and converting life terms into fixed durations for selected inmates.

Furthermore, 31 prisoners who were found guilty of extremism and terrorism-related crimes have received pardons from the king after they pledged allegiance to national values, disavowed extremist ideologies, and revised their belief systems.

BI: foreigners fooled into bypassing rules by faking philippine citizenship

BI: foreigners fooled into bypassing rules by faking philippine citizenship


MANILA, Philippines —

On Thursday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) disclosed that they have discovered a plan where foreigners adopt false Filipino personas to set up enterprises and potentially hire unauthorized employees in Mindanao.

Following this, the BI arrested five Chinese citizens during two distinct operations: one involved an illegal immigrant “running” a hardware shop listed under what appears to be a non-existent Filipino resident in Davao del Sur; another operation targeted four people who were employed unlawfully at a chemical facility located in North Cotabato. The said factory was supposedly owned by a Filipino individual but is believed to actually belong to a Chinese national residing in Manila.

Labeling the scheme as a “troubling development,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado cautioned that fake documents might also be used for spying purposes.

“These papers and altered identification records might be employed by outsiders who have [sinister] motives and could potentially be misused by undercover agents infiltrating our community by posing as locals,” he stated.


READ:
Adiong: Those issuing counterfeit Philippine birth certificates are linked to an extensive network.


READ:
Government blocks 1,600 birth certificates wrongly acquired by non-citizens.

Nonexistent owner

On March 20, the Bureau of Immigration, working alongside the Philippine Army and local police forces, apprehended Bangdie Pan, who goes by the alias Ditdit, a 50-year-old Chinese citizen, in Digos City, located in Davao del Sur.

Pan was arrested due to violations of Philippine immigration regulations during an operation backed by the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, the 1002nd Brigade, the 10th Infantry Division, the Philippine National Police, and governmental intelligence agents in Region 11.

Based on the BI statement, the foreign national was actively running a hardware store that is officially registered under a purported Filipino citizen, whose identity is currently being looked into.

” Records showed that Pan had a work visa issued for a firm based in Pasig City, yet she was discovered performing duties outside her authorized scope in Davao del Sur,” the agency stated.

Staff members at the hardware store allegedly confessed that the claimed Filipino proprietor does not actually exist and that the establishment’s licenses were acquired through fraudulent papers.

After four days, agents from BI Intelligence, working alongside several governmental organizations, apprehended four Chinese citizens at a chemical production facility in M’lang, located in North Cotabato.

The people identified were Zhongyi Tang, aged 62; Tianbei Wu, 51 years old; Dezhen Liu, also 62, and Wang Lianxu, who is 53.

The BI mentioned that they acquired birth certificates and paperwork indicating that Liu had falsely presented himself as a Filipino.

The agency’s probe also revealed that the firm was registered under a Filipina, however, workers at the plant stated they hadn’t laid eyes on her ever since the business started operations.

The BI stated, “Employees at the plant acknowledged that the actual owner is a Chinese national residing in Manila.”

The five individuals from China are now facing charges related to deportation.

Widespread problem

Viado has pushed for more stringent rules governing the issuance of Filipino identity papers and documentation to curb potential misuse by undocumented individuals, an issue that came to light last year amid Senate investigations into the recently prohibited Philippine offshore gambling enterprises (POGOs).

In July 2024, the NBI office in Davao disclosed the discovery of nearly 200 forged birth certificates that were provided to Chinese citizens by the civil registry of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur during the years 2018 and 2019.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago subsequently revealed that as many as 1,200 Chinese citizens were issued birth certificates by the Santa Cruz local civil registry from 2016 onwards. This number is six times greater than what the agency initially reported.

It is alleged that these counterfeit papers allowed individuals from abroad to partake in actions reserved solely for Filipino citizens, such as buying property, establishing enterprises, and even seeking elected positions, similar to what was seen with former mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, who is suspected to be a Chinese national and has been arrested due to her involvement in unlawful Pogo ventures.

Suspected spies

Previously, the government had shown worry over the accounts regarding the existence of Chinese spies within the nation.

In January, the NBI apprehended five alleged Chinese spies accused of keeping an eye on the operations of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy in Palawan, particularly focusing on the supply efforts for forces stationed in the West Philippine Sea.

In the subsequent month, the NBI apprehended two additional Chinese nationals alongside three Filipinos on charges of espionage.

The NBI stated that its cybercrime division along with a specialized task force was notified regarding unusual cars equipped with devices for intercepting messages. These vehicles have been spotted near the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police headquarters, as well as around Malacañang and various governmental buildings within Metro Manila.

French Prosecutors Demand Seven-Year Sentence for Sarkozy in Libya Campaign Finance Scandal

French Prosecutors Demand Seven-Year Sentence for Sarkozy in Libya Campaign Finance Scandal

The French prosecution has asked for a seven-year jail term and a €300,000 penalty against ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy. This request stems from claims suggesting that Gaddafi’s administration in Libya potentially provided illicit funding for Sarkozy’s 2017 bid for presidency.

The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) also called for a five-year ban on Sarkozy’s civic, civil and family rights, a measure that would bar him from holding elected office or serving in any public judicial role.

The proceedings, starting from January and anticipated to wrap up by April 10th, stand as the gravest among several legal controversies overshadowing Sarkozy’s time after his presidency.

The former French leader, Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012 and is now 70 years old, is facing accusations including passive corruption, unlawful funding for his election campaigns, hiding the misappropriation of public money, and being part of a criminal group.

He has refuted any claims of misconduct.

The accusations date back to 2011, when a Libyan news outlet and Gaddafi himself claimed that the Libyan government had covertly channeled millions of euros into Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign.

In 2012, the French investigative platform Mediapart released documents they claimed were from a Libyan intelligence memo. The papers indicated an alleged financial arrangement of €50 million.

Sarkozy dismissed the paper as fake news and filed a lawsuit for defamation.

Later, French judges indicated that the document seemed genuine; however, no definitive proof of a concluded deal has been shown.

The investigators similarly examined multiple journeys made by Sarkozy’s associates to Libya spanning from 2005 to 2007.

In 2016, Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine informed Mediapart that he had transported suitcases containing money from Tripoli to the French Interior Ministry during Sarkozy’s tenure.

He subsequently withdrew his comment. This about-face is currently at the center of an independent probe into potential witness intimidation.

Sarkozy along with his spouse, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, have also been initiated into the early stages of the inquiry for that particular case.

Former ministers of Sarkozy, Claude Guéant, Brice Hortefeux, and Éric Woerth, alongside eight additional accused individuals, are currently undergoing the legal process.

However, prosecutors have explicitly stated that the key person at the center of this case is the ex-president, who is charged with deliberately profiting from a “bribery agreement” with an overseas authoritarian regime during his campaign to head the French Republic.

Although Sarkozy has previously faced convictions in two separate legal cases, the Libya scandal is broadly considered to be the most politically damaging and the one expected to have the greatest impact on his lasting reputation.

In December 2024, France’s top judicial body confirmed his sentence for bribery and Influence trafficking.
sentencing him to spend one year under house arrest using an electronic monitor
.

The case originated from intercepted telephone conversations revealed during the Libya investigation.

In an independent judgment issued in February 2024, a Paris appellate court determined he was guilty of unlawful campaign funding during his unsuccessful attempt at re-election in 2012.

Sarkozy has brushed off the Libya accusations as being driven by politics and based on falsified evidence.

However, if found guilty, he would be the first ex-French president sentenced for receiving illicit international contributions to secure his election.

A decision is anticipated before the end of this year.

5 Chinese Executives Indicted in $114 Million Tax Evasion Scandal

5 Chinese Executives Indicted in $114 Million Tax Evasion Scandal

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has brought forth accusations of tax evasion against five individuals from China for their alleged involvement in not paying PHP 5.7 billion in taxes related to an illicit cigarette trading operation.

The Department of Justice submitted the case to the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), following the complaint from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as well as the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

This case originated from the confiscation of 21,000 master cases of illicit cigarettes across six sites in Valenzuela and Bulacan last year.

The DOJ stated, “It is anticipated that warrants of arrest will be issued by the CTA against the Chinese nationals.”

The Department of Justice stated that the participation of foreign nationals in the unlawful cigarette trade came to light during a coordinated operation conducted in Valenzuela and Bulacan.

“The documentation provided by the BIR indicated that the tax debt owed by the Chinese individuals exceeded PHP 5.76 billion,” stated the DOJ.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the submission of the charges demonstrates that “offenses threatening our economy can be thwarted provided government agencies combine their resources and step up their efforts against tax evaders.”

NSCDC Busts Illegal Bunkering Operation in Rivers

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has discovered unauthorized crude oil refining activities in the creek areas of Odagwa community within the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Babawale Afolabi, the Public Relations Officer for NSCDC, disclosed this information in an official statement on Monday in Abuja. He mentioned that the achievement was accomplished by the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad.

He pointed out that the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has declared that during his tenure, the NSCDC will stay committed to combating oil theft, vandalism, and economic sabotage within the oil industry.

Audi reinforced his commitment to launch an unyielding battle against individuals who benefit from the oil-rich areas via illicit transactions involving fuel products.

After completing his mission in the Niger Delta, he addressed his team to uplift their spirits, ensure the security of key oil facilities, and supervise efforts against sabotage in the region’s waters.

Through the National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, the Chief of theNSCDC lamented the circumstances in the Odagwa community withinEtche,LagosState,where theCommanderGeneralofSpecialIntelligenceUnithad previously engagedin combatagainstpipelinevandalismand stronglyopposedsuchillegalactivities.He emphasizedthattheorganizationaimstoidentifythesponsorsbehindtheseactionsandprosecutethemandaccordingtothecurrentfederallaws.

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NSCDC prevents potential tanker blast in Sokoto

He stated that the Nigerian Navy’s Special Interdiction Squadron (SIS), headed by Commandant AS Dandaura, has achieved significant and indisputable success in tackling crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region. Recently, more than 65 illicit oil storage sites and illegal refining facilities have been taken down.

“While monitoring oil installations and facilities across the Niger Delta, our men responded swiftly to an intelligence tip-off that there has been an organised operation of illegal refining of crude oil ongoing in the creeks at Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“Upon arrival, the CG’s SIS discovered that vandals had manoeuvred through the creeks and accessed the main oil trunk line, connected their installed pipes, and channelled the crude into reservoirs. It was then directed through a cooking process and later packaged and bagged in cellophane nylons and kegs.

“As soon as the suspects spotted our team from a distance, they fled immediately. Meanwhile, the agents discovered an unauthorized fuel refinement operation at the location, where items like Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and DPK were scattered around,” he said.

As per the report, items found at the crime scene consist of substantial amounts of pilfered crude oil that has been transferred into plastic wraps and barrels, resources utilized for illicitly processing crude oil, multiple zinc-coated steel tubes, discarded attire along with various individual possessions, metallic pails, and additional objects.

However, the CG urged the public to keep supplying the Corps with reliable information.

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