Philippines authorities raided an alleged Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) scam hub in Pasay City, leading to the arrest of over 400 foreign nationals.
The raid, conducted on Wednesday by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, resulted in the closure of an illegal POGO operation inside One Wheels Condominiums.
Authorities discovered evidence of various scams, including cryptocurrency fraud, love scams, investment scams, and spamming activities. The operation was primarily targeting foreign nationals through messaging platforms like Viber and Telegram.
Among those arrested were 207 Chinese, 132 Vietnamese, 24 Koreans, 11 Malaysians, 14 Indonesians, 12 Myanmar nationals, and one from Madagascar. Additionally, 52 Filipino workers were also found at the site.
The Pasay City government immediately issued a cease and desist order, shutting down the operation for lack of a business permit and violation of the POGO ban.
Last year President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced a complete ban on POGOs, signaling a stricter stance against these operations, with several raids carried out since then to enforce the ban and crack down on illegal activities associated with now prohibited POGOs.
