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Philippine authorities have arrested 244 foreign nationals, most of them Chinese, in raids on two sites in Mindanao, the biggest crackdown this year on illegal offshore gaming operators, according to Al Jazeera.
The Immigration Bureau said military and other law enforcement agencies carried out the raids on Friday.
At the first site, authorities arrested 110 Chinese citizens, two Cambodians and a Hong Kong resident. At the second, they arrested 131 foreigners, mostly Chinese, alongside citizens of Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.
Officers seized large quantities of computer equipment, mobile phones, laptops and SIM cards.
Criminal gangs are accused of using Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) as cover for various crimes.
Manila banned POGOs in 2024, saying crime groups use them to hide human trafficking, money laundering, kidnappings, fraud and murder.
The government is investigating several of those arrested for possible human trafficking offences, and authorities will deport the rest.
Joel Viado
“We will continue to enforce our immigration laws against foreign nationals who violate the conditions of their stay and ensure that the Philippines is not used as a base for illegal activities,” Immigration Chief Joel Viado said in the statement.
The Chinese embassy said it is reaching out to Philippine law enforcement for details of the case.
Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng told AFP that Chinese law bars all forms of gambling, including Chinese nationals gambling overseas or working for gambling companies.
It estimated that at least 120,000 people in Myanmar and about 100,000 in Cambodia may be trapped in scam operations, and noted criminal-owned enterprises in Laos, the Philippines and Thailand, ranging from crypto fraud to online gambling.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Philippines based on an image by wirestock via Magnific.
