Bureau of Immigration nabs Sudanese for swindling, organ trafficking

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) recently arrested a Sudanese national believed to be the leader of a syndicate involved in selling human organs to Saudi Arabian nationals in need of a kidney transplant.

In a statement released yesterday, BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said Badreldin Elzaki Ibraim El Habib, 31, was caught last Sept. 17 in his condominium unit along Pasong Tamo, Makati City.

The Saudi embassy informed the BI that Habib, with the help of Filipino medical practitioners, allegedly tries to convince victims to undergo a kidney transplant in the Philippines. The victims arrive in the country, but only to find out no transplant has been scheduled for them.

BI intelligence chief Faizal Hussin said Habib is also considered an overstaying alien because he has never renewed his student visa, which expired in January 2004. He entered the country in July 2000.

Habib is undergoing deportation procedures, BI officials said. – Evelyn Macairan