Around 1,700 aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were rescued from an alleged large-scale illegal recruitment scheme following the arrest of a man accused of luring jobseekers with fake employment opportunities in Central Europe.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that Mazhoor Ubongin Khusin, also known as “Maz,” was arrested on July 20, 2026, in Mexico, Pampanga, by operatives of the Quezon City Police District–Project 4 Police Station. Khusin was taken into custody under a warrant issued by Branch 146 of the Regional Trial Court of Makati City for large-scale illegal recruitment.
According to the DMW, Khusin served as an officer of ALJU International Manpower Services Inc., an agency whose authority to recruit overseas workers was previously canceled after facing sanctions for misrepresenting jobs, charging excessive fees and failing to refund affected applicants.
Khusin allegedly offered positions for factory workers, farmers, and hotel staff in Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic, promising monthly salaries of up to P90,000. Applicants were reportedly forced to pay placement fees between P80,000 and P130,000 through aggressive tactics that pressured jobseekers to hand over money immediately.
“The arrest of this illegal recruiter marks a significant development in the cases filed in connection with the alleged recruitment scheme targeting our OFWs who simply want a better life for their families,” said DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac. “Hindi natin titigilan ang mga illegal recruiters na ito at ang kanilang mga kasabwat na patuloy na nanloloko sa ating mga kababayan.”
The DMW urged all prospective OFWs to exercise extreme caution when dealing with recruiters, particularly those charging heavy placement fees, offering unusually high compensation, or promising guaranteed visas, permanent residency or immediate deployment.