Philippine law enforcement agencies recently conducted a raid on an offshore illegal gambling operation center near Manila, arresting three Chinese nationals and seizing communication devices suspected of being used to collect sensitive information.
This operation was carried out by the Philippine President's Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in conjunction with the National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on February 15, located in Calamba City, Laguna Province.
Law enforcement officers arrested more than 20 Filipino employees and 3 Chinese suspects on the scene, and confiscated several suspicious telecommunications devices.
According to the Philippine Star, some of the arrested Filipino employees claimed they were employed by a foreign employer to install telecommunications infrastructure. However, investigations revealed that this foreign employer failed to provide a legal business license and operating permit. PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz stated that authorities are closely investigating the true identities of the three Chinese citizens and their possible involvement in espionage activities.
Since the second half of last year, the Philippine government has intensified its crackdown on illegal offshore gambling operations (POGO) and has required all foreign employees to leave the country by the end of September 2024. However, as of now, a large number of personnel are still staying in the Philippines, prompting law enforcement agencies to continue their crackdown operations. It is expected that about 10,000 foreign nationals will be expelled from the country in the coming months.
Currently, authorities are conducting an in-depth investigation into the backgrounds of the three individuals to determine if they are involved in espionage activities.
