Philippine police raid a Chinese-run scam centre in Manila, arresting dozens for operating fraudulent investment platforms. The crackdown follows President Marcos’ ban on online gambling due to its links to criminal activities.
Philippine authorities have intensified their crackdown on fraudulent activities by raiding a Chinese-run scam centre in Manila, leading to the arrest of dozens of individuals involved in orchestrating complex online scams. The raid, conducted in the early hours of Thursday, targeted an office tower in the capital city where the illicit operations were being carried out under the guise of a licensed online gaming company.
The police operation resulted in the apprehension of 67 foreign nationals, including 58 Chinese citizens and individuals from Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Additionally, 32 Filipinos were taken into custody. The centre’s owner and manager, both Chinese nationals, were also among those arrested.
The scam centre was allegedly involved in running a cryptocurrency investment scam and a so-called “love scam.” According to the police, employees at the centre posed as wealthy models to lure unsuspecting victims into investing in a manipulated trading platform. Some of the employees were reportedly forced to work as scammers, with some being coerced into dressing provocatively and engaging in lascivious conduct to entice potential victims.
A police statement revealed the dire conditions faced by the Filipino workers at the centre, many of whom claimed they were compelled to participate in the fraudulent activities. The statement did not specify the consequences for those who refused to cooperate, raising concerns about the coercive tactics employed by the operators.
This raid comes in the wake of President Ferdinand Marcos’ recent ban on online gambling operators, a move driven by mounting public outrage over the industry’s connections to various criminal activities, including scams, kidnapping, human trafficking, and even murder. The ban, announced last month, followed allegations that a local mayor was involved in running a large scam centre in the northern part of the country.
The mayor in question, Alice Leal Guo of Bamban municipality, has since fled the country amid accusations of fraudulently obtaining Filipino citizenship to run for office. Immigration officials confirmed this week that Guo left the Philippines in July, prompting President Marcos to vow that those who aided her escape would be held accountable. “Heads will roll,” Marcos declared, signaling a firm stance against corruption and criminal activities linked to online gambling.
Authorities suspect that there could be several hundred illegal online gambling entities operating across the Philippines, many of which may be involved in similar scam operations. In addition to these unlicensed entities, some of the more than 40 licensed operators are also believed to be running scam centres, often with the complicity of local officials.
As the investigation into the Manila scam centre continues, the Philippine government appears determined to root out the criminal networks that have proliferated under the cover of the online gambling industry. The recent raid marks a significant step in these efforts, but it also highlights the pervasive challenges that remain in addressing the deep-seated issues of corruption and exploitation within the industry.
