A suspected illegal online gaming and scam complex in Cebu province was raided by Philippine authorities, resulting in the rescue of over 160 people engaged in internet-based crimes. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) stated that the raid on the Tourist Garden Resort in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, was conducted on Saturday morning by personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the Department of Justice.
PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio informed reporters that the raid was prompted by a request from the Indonesian Embassy in Manila to rescue eight Indonesians who were reportedly being forced to work for a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) at the resort. The PAOCC reported that a total of 162 foreign nationals were found working in scam farms on the compound, including individuals from China, Indonesia, Burma, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices used for various online scams were confiscated.
The owner of the resort was arrested and could face criminal charges, according to Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco. The raid at the Tourist Garden Resort followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s ban on POGOs, citing their involvement in criminal activities.
The crackdown on scam syndicates has also been observed in other Southeast Asian countries, such as Laos, where authorities ordered online scammers to vacate a known scam hub by a set deadline. The challenges of combating these transnational criminal operations are ongoing, with syndicates adapting to crackdowns and finding new locations to operate.
Despite efforts to eradicate these scam operations, the lucrative nature of the scams and the involvement of various groups continue to pose challenges to law enforcement agencies in the region.