March 1, 2012

        A Chinese national who is an international organized crime figure wanted for felony in the United States was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)  at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) during the  week-end.

       The suspect was identified by NBI Officer-In-Charge Nonnatus Caesar R. Rojas as SOON AH KOW, in his 70's, born in Malaysia, a holder of a Chinese passport, a Hong Kong resident/businessman.

        Kow stands charged with fourteen (14) counts of felony violations before a federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey.  He is an international organized crime figure who arranges and brokers large scale smuggling of drugs and counterfeit goods from different Southeast Asian countries.

        Further, information revealed that Kow is known to have travelled using fraudulent and/or inaccurate documentation. It was also revealed that Kow has previously used multiple passports from different countries. By his own admission to undercover US agents, he has "business associates" in China.

        Secretary of Justice Leila M. De Lima, issued a Memorandum dated Feb. 2, 2012 to NBI Officer-In-Charge Atty. Nonnatus Caesar R. Rojas forwarding the letter-request of the United States Department of Justice Attache regarding Soon Ah Kow. She directed the National Bureau of Investigation thru Atty. Claro C. De Castro Jr., Chief of Foreign Liaison Division (FLD) to arrest Soon Ah Kow who will be arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 from Hong Kong via Dragon Air flight No. KA931 on February 25, 2012.

        On February 10, 2012, the NBI Foreign Liaison Division (FLD) filed an Urgent Ex-Parte Application For Provisional Arrest against KOW before the Manila Regional Trial Court and was raffled to Branch XIV. Presiding Judge Buenaventura Albert J. Tenorio, Jr., issued an order of Provisional Arrest granting the application and serves as the authority for the immediate apprehension of SOON AH KOW.

       It was upon arrival of Kow's flight at the NAIA in the evening of February 25, 2012 when waiting NBI-Foreign Liaison Division (FLD)/Interpol and NAIAID agents immediately apprehended and brought him to the NBI for booking and detention.