The Philippine National Police (PNP) rescued two Vietnamese women from a criminal gang in a raid at an apartment in Paranaque City and arrested four Chinese men. The gang is suspected of kidnapping, extortion and providing criminal services for illegal online gambling firms (POGO).
Authorities seized three silenced pistols and several types of party drugs from the four Chinese men.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were running a currency exchange business, with the suspects posing as clients wishing to exchange currency. According to the victims, they were abused, threatened at gunpoint, and coerced into transferring money while held at the suspects' residence.
The authorities stated that the four Chinese men belong to a criminal group that acts as "enforcers" for an illegal online gambling operation, specializing in abducting foreign nationals, including Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cambodian citizens.
The suspects claimed they have been working in the Philippines with POGO for three years and denied owning the firearms recovered during the operation.
Further investigations revealed the suspects were involved in four rape and kidnapping incidents in the southern part of the capital region, with one suspect wanted in China for rape, murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, and extortion. The police are continuing their search for a fleeing suspect and other gang members.
