DIRECTOR General Avelino Razon Jr., National Police chief, ordered on Thursday the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to further intensify its operations against individuals and groups involved in human trafficking.

Razon issued the order following the arrest of 17 persons who were allegedly involved in the trafficking of Filipinos to Singapore by passing them off as tourists.

“I am ordering the CIDG to push some more and carry out arrests against individuals and groups involved in this kind of operations,” he said.

“I am also directing them to conduct raids against illegal recruitment agencies and travel agencies,” he added.

Those who were arrested during a raid on Wednesday were Luciano Lim, Jaime Bernardo Alaoria, Fresa Asesor Robles, Laudemer Lacuata Tovillo, Crytel Correa Alejandro, Arceli Barola Palolan, Analou Sanay Gigante, Marilene Damaso de Lar, Ria Evangelista, Eloisa Tiocao Pacheco, Ronaldo Saldua Linsad, Aries Casico Oliveros, Flordeliza Mallari Herpacio, Dennis Guia Perez, Dianne Paguingan Cortez, Ernesto Ongaco Ramos and Maria Cristina Farin Mercado.

They were arrested by agents of the AntiTransnational Crimes Division of the CIDG.

Save for Lim, all of the suspects are employees of Excellent Travel Agency located in Ermita, Manila. Lim is the owner of the agency.

Razon said the raid on the travel agency was carried out on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Emma Young of the Regional Trial Court in Manila.

During the raid, the policemen seized assorted office equipment and thousands of voided air tickets.

Razon said the raid against Lim’s agency was prompted by the endorsement of Vice President Noli de Castro of the complaints of some of the victims against the company.

“This is the first big case unearthed by the elements of the AntiTransnational Crimes Division involving illegal trafficking in persons…that rendered an innumerable number of our fellow Filipinos who tried to seek  greener pastures outside the country, but ended up miserably in shelter homes,” Razon said.

One of the victims, who paid P15,000, said she ended up in a jail in Singapore after she was caught by immigration agents.

She said more Filipinos, who have fallen prey to the illegal activity of the agency, are being sheltered in different homes in Singapore.

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DIRECTOR General Avelino Razon Jr., National Police chief, ordered on Thursday the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to further intensify its operations against individuals and groups involved in human trafficking.