Yao Jiexiu, Jason Pan / Staff Reporter
The government has requested help from other countries to extradite a Spanish fugitive who was refused entry to Singapore and put on a repatriation flight to a passenger-restricted area at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport.
Salvador Alejandro Linas Onate was deported to Singapore on Saturday and will not be allowed to re-enter Taiwan after Interpol issued a “red notice” for his arrest. do not have. He is also wanted by authorities in Spain and Italy, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) said.
The NIA said it was working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extradite the suspect to Spain and seek assistance in returning him to face legal punishment for his alleged car rental fraud in Italy.
Photo: Tony Yao, Taipei Times
When he arrived in Taiwan yesterday morning, the NIA denied him re-entry. The NIA said he was allowed to stay in the airport’s restricted security area for air travelers.
The NIA said it would arrange a room for him, provide him with three meals a day and allow him free contact with his family and lawyer.
Linas Onate has been charged by Italian prosecutors with leading a €30 million (US$32.6 million) car rental scam and setting up a fraudulent company in Trento, Italy. He entered Taiwan on a dependent visa in 2019 and obtained permanent resident status in 2021.
The NIA announced on October 14 that it had ordered him to leave the country within 10 days.
The Taipei High Administrative Court on Saturday ruled that the deportation was flawed and ordered Linas Onate’s release, although NIA officials had escorted him to a flight to Singapore earlier in the day. It was too late.
“Crackdowns on financial crimes and fraudsters are important policies in any country, and the NIA complied with the law by deporting internationally wanted criminals to protect national security and public safety. This was done in accordance with standard procedures,” said an NIA official.
The NIA also said the deportation was in accordance with the Regulations on Forced Deportation of Foreigners (Foreigners’ Forced Deportation Law) and Article 18 of the Immigration Act (Immigration and Immigration Law). Entry to Taiwan may be prohibited if it violates the national interest, public security, or public order and morals.
Additional report by Guangren Wang
