Immigration nabs 5 Iranians for presenting forged passports

Bureau of Immigration personnel at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) apprehended last week five Iranian nationals, two of them minors, for allegedly pretending to be Spaniards and Belgians on their way to their connecting flight to London.

BI-Naia chief Marc Red Mariñas identified the adult Iranians as Abbas Fereidoun Nezhad, 29; Hesam Delgarm, 28; and a 38-year-old mother and her minor son and daughter, all of whom arrived at Naia Terminal 1 last week.

Nezhad and Delgarm presented Spanish passports on their arrival last Dec. 22, while the mother and her children presented Belgian passports when they arrived Dec. 24. All Iranians came from Bangkok, Thailand.

In an interview with reporters, Marinas said immigration counter personnel suspected that the passports were forgeries and this was eventually confirmed by the BI forensic laboratory.

The mother and her children were immediately deported, while Nezhad and Delgarm are still detained pending investigation.

Mariñas said investigators are looking into the possibility that the two men were asylum seekers or are Islamic militants.

There could also be a new transnational human smuggling syndicate behind the production of the passports and their chosen transit point for their victims was Philippines, where airports operations are busy during the holidays, Mariñas added. /atm