MANILA, Philippines — A South Korean national wanted by authorities in Seoul and the Interpol for narcotics trafficking has been arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the agency reported.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the fugitive as 29-year-old Maeng Juhwan, who was apprehended on May 3 along Jupiter Street in Bel Air, Makati City by operatives of the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU).

“We will deport him because he is an undesirable and overstaying alien whose presence here poses a risk to public safety and security,” Viado said.

Viado added that Juhwan will be deported to South Korea as soon as the BI Board of Commissioners issues a summary deportation order.

“He will then be blacklisted and perpetually banned from re-entering the country,” the BI chief said.

According to BI-FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy, Juhwan is the subject of an Interpol red notice issued on February 13, following a warrant of arrest from the Chuncheon District Court in South Korea dated October 25, 2023, for violating the country’s narcotics control act.

Authorities said Juhwan allegedly orchestrated the smuggling of Philopon, a methamphetamine residue commonly abused in South Korea. The illegal substance was reportedly hidden in a snack bag and smuggled through international airports on two separate occasions in September 2023.

BI records also showed that Juhwan had overstayed in the Philippines since August 23, 2023—nearly two years.

He is currently detained at the BI custodial facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending deportation proceedings.