4 Chinese nationals arrested for selling smuggled pesticides, insect repellents in Cotabato

COTABATO CITY (Updated 6:07 p.m.)— Law enforcement agents arrested four Chinese nationals selling imported insect repellents and pesticides in an operation in Barangay Nueva Vida, Mlang, Cotabato, on Monday, March 24.

The operation, conducted by combined personnel from the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation-12, led to the arrest of Liu Dezhen, Tang Zhongyi, Tianpei Wu, and Wang Xu. It was assisted by units from the Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

Officials from the 602nd Infantry Brigade and the commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, Major Gen. Donald Gumiran, separately told reporters on Tuesday, March 25, that the four Chinese men surrendered peacefully when BI and NBI agents, soldiers and policemen arrived at their storehouse in Barangay Nueva Vida, Mlang, to arrest them.

Dezhen, Zhongyi, Wu, and Xu hold Chinese passports but have no working visas or permits to operate their establishment in Mlang, the Alpha Household Miscellaneous Chemical Products Manufacturing, which sells smuggled insect repellents and pesticides to local buyers.

The four Chinese nationals are now in the joint custody of the BI and NBI-12, according to local officials and barangay leaders in the municipality.