Eleven arrested at Mactan-Cebu airport for smuggling P441M cash

Eleven individuals, including nine foreigners and two Filipinos, were arrested at Mactan-Cebu International Airport for attempting to transport nearly half a billion pesos in cash.

The suspects were attempting to board a private plane to Manila at around 10:30 p.m. when they were intercepted during baggage inspection.

The total amount of the intercepted cash was P441,922,542, USD$168,730 (around P9.342 Million), and HKD$1,000 (around P71,000).

The suspects were found carrying seven bags instead of the declared three bags.

AVSEGROUP reported that one of the suspects attempted to bribe the chief of their Cebu operations.

Authorities are investigating the possibility that the funds were intended for poll-related 'interference' ahead of Monday's elections.

One of the Chinese suspects, Wu Song, has a red notice alert for fraud from Interpol, and two other suspects, Li Fei and Chen Hao, have warrants of arrest for various crimes.

The foreigners arrived in Cebu on Friday at around 9 a.m. on board a van and went directly to a casino linked to the White Horse Club, a junket operator associated with the kidnap-slay of Filipino-Chinese businessman Anson Que.