Manila: A total of 357 foreign nationals, mostly Taiwanese and mainland Chinese, were arrested by the Philippines authorities in what could be the single biggest haul by the government in its drive against cyber fraud.
Operatives of the Philippines National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) swooped down on various residences in the suburbs of Quezon City, Manila, Marikina, Cainta and Antipolo cities around 6:30 am and rounded up the foreigners.
CIDG chief, Police Director Samuel D Pagdilao Jr. said among the arrested were two Filipino-Chinese who were tagged as the financier of the syndicate. There were identified as Maria Luisa Tan and Jonson Tan Co.
According to CIDG Deputy Director for Operations, Police Senior Superintendent Keith Singian, the arrested suspects have been engaged in international telecom and financial frauds. Earlier, 37 Chinese nationals had been arrested in Davao City that in May 27 this year for undertaking this same activity.
The group’s modus operandi is a classic example of the operations of criminal syndicate in China, Singian said, however, in these particular cases, the suspects who are foreigners have used the Philippines as base of operations.
Through the use of the internet, the group used to call an unsuspecting victim in China to introduce themselves as members of Chinese police. The suspects would then tell the victims that their bank accounts were being used for money laundering and other terrorist funding activities. The syndicate will then tell the victim to transfer their money to a “safe account” that the suspects will provide, to which most of the victims have agreed out of fear from any action “police authorities” will do if they refuse to comply.
Pagdilao said the raids at the lair of cybercrime syndicate demonstrate the strong will of the authorities to crack down on these foreigners who have made the country their base of criminal operations.
He said all suspects have been brought to the Police National Training Institute (PNTI) in Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna, South of Manila where cases for violation of the Access Device Act are being readied against them.
Following the crackdown on the group by the Chinese authorities in 2010, most groups involved in this modus operandi have moved their operations outside of China and continued their victimisation of Chinese nationals through the internet.
The crackdown was carried out by the government even though the country has yet to pass the Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act.
The arrested foreigners have valid permits to stay in the country.
