Philippine law enforcement recently conducted a raid in a commercial building on Ayala Avenue in Makati City, inside the RCBC, successfully dismantling an illegal offshore gambling operation center (POGO) and arresting 200 employees, including 16 Chinese nationals who were the main persons in charge.
According to the report from the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the operation was initially carried out by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) to arrest a fugitive. However, upon entering the 21st floor of the building, the police unexpectedly discovered an unlicensed gambling center in operation.
PAOCC Executive Director Cruz stated: "After entering, the police found hundreds of computers in operation, displaying a transnational gambling platform. After verification with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), it was confirmed that the center did not have a legal operating license."
Further investigation revealed that the gambling platform mainly targeted users in Europe, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and France, and belongs to illegal gambling operators explicitly banned by multiple governments.
"Shockingly, the platform was still actively operating and involved in transnational fraud activities," added Cruz.
In this raid, the police arrested 200 employees, 16 of whom were identified as the main persons in charge, all of Chinese nationality. These suspects were found still conducting online meetings, attempting to take action before the police raid.
"These individuals were clearly highly vigilant, and we discovered an 'emergency power-off system' on-site, which could shut down most of the computer equipment at the push of a button, attempting to destroy evidence," revealed Cruz.
Law enforcement also found a large amount of electronic equipment used for fraud at the scene, including mass texting machines and IMSI catchers.
Cruz explained: "The mass texting machine was used to send scam messages on a large scale, promoting illegal gambling services, while the IMSI catcher could steal data from nearby mobile phone users, further expanding the scope of the fraud."
Currently, Philippine law enforcement is conducting an in-depth investigation into the specific operating mode of this center and will collaborate with the immigration bureau to review the work permits and visa statuses of the arrested individuals, further tracking other potential suspects involved.
