Sinaloa drug cartel member falls in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — An Australian, who is suspected to be a drug trafficker and an alleged member of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel of Mexico, was recently apprehended in Cebu by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) apprehended 46-year-old Gregor Johann Haas last May 15.

Haas reportedly has a standing red notice by the Interpol which stemmed from a criminal case that was filed against him in Indonesia.

Tansingco described Haas’ apprehension as a major accomplishment of the bureau in its continuing drive to flush out wanted foreign criminals in the country.

He described the Australian as a high-profile fugitive for being an alleged member of the Sinaloa cartel, a large international organized crime syndicate based in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico that specializes in drug trafficking and money laundering activities.

Haas is currently detained at the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City while awaiting his deportation.

Last Jan. 29, Indonesia’s National Narcotics Board had filed a drug smuggling case against Haas and issued an arrest warrant against him.

Indonesian authorities reportedly accused Haas of being behind the attempt to smuggle last Dec. 11, 2023 five kilograms of illegal methamphetamine drug substance into their country, that were hidden in a shipment of floor ceramics.

The drugs were seized by Indonesian authorities who later discovered via testimonies elicited from arrested drug couriers that the packages were sent by Haas from Guadalajara, Mexico. (CEBU NEWS)