Philippines: Crackdown on POGO hub yields 400+ foreign nationals

Manila: More than 400 foreign nationals were ensnared in a dramatic raid on Wednesday, in a crackdown on illicit operations of the so-called “POGOs”.

Agents of the Presidential Anti-Organised Crime Commission (PAOCC) descended upon an alleged Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) scam hub nestled within the shadowy confines of One Wheels Condominiums in Pasay City. 

The haul was staggering: 401 foreign nationals dragged into the light:

• 207 Chinese

• 132 Vietnamese

• 24 Koreans

• 14 Indonesians

• 11 Malaysians

• 12 Myanmar nationals, and

• 1 from Madagascar.

Alongside them, 52 Filipino workers stood caught in the chaos, their fates uncertain, according to the Philippine News Agency.

This was no solo act — joining the raiding team were agents of the Pasay City government, the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Cybercrime, united in the takedown.

The POGO empire is crumbling beneath the weight of anti-government sweep.

Tip-off

The sweep, following a tipoff from a vigilant citizen, led authorities to uncover cryptocurrency swindles, honeyed love scams that preyed on the heart, glittering investment traps, and a relentless storm of spam flooding digital shores. 

The lair also yielded “text blasters”, one-time password generators, and so-called crypto wallets, all using Viber and Telegram.

Cease-and-desist order

The Pasay City government slammed down a cease-and-desist order, shutting down its operation, citing a lack of a business permit and its defiance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s ironclad ban on POGOs.