Philippine authorities recently raided an offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Pasay City, arresting over 400 people, including two Chinese bosses. It is reported that these two Chinese nationals are suspected of being connected to a gambling institution previously shut down by the government.
The Deputy Minister of the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), Gilbert Cruz, revealed that the involved center had been secretly operating for two years. Despite being previously shut down by authorities, investigations found that the institution continued to operate secretly within a seven-story building.
In the raid, more than 450 people were arrested, including:
- 207 Chinese
- 132 Vietnamese
- 24 Koreans
- 14 Indonesians
- 12 Burmese
- 11 Malaysians
- 1 Madagascan
Cruz stated that these criminal groups have shifted from traditional offshore gaming operations to "pig-butchering" scams, including romance scams and investment frauds, mainly targeting the Filipino people.
During the raid, police found 27 children and several pregnant Filipino women at the scene, further deepening external concerns about the illegal operation center's involvement in human trafficking. Cruz pointed out that the arrested individuals were not long-term residents of the building, but were regularly brought in and out to evade law enforcement.
PAOCC suspects that there may be other similar illegal POGO operations in the Metro Manila area. Cruz mentioned that they have gathered intelligence indicating that at least 100 illegal POGOs are still operating secretly, and the government will continue to intensify efforts to curb the illegal activities in this industry.
