Seven individuals, including five foreign nationals, have been arrested in Makati for allegedly operating an illegal internet gaming licensee (IGL) hub, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has confirmed.
The raid was conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on August 15 in Barangay San Lorenzo.
According to a report from The Philippine Star, the arrested suspects include three Taiwanese nationals, a Chinese woman, a citizen from Myanmar, and two Filipino nationals.
The group is now facing a range of serious charges, including illegal gambling under Presidential Decree 1602, as well as violations of the Cybercrime Prevention Act and the Access Devices Act.
Authorities stated that the operation was launched following intelligence reports indicating the group was offering illegal online gambling services to customers located outside of the Philippines.
Police Chief General Nicolas Torre III said that the suspects were deceiving gamblers by posing as legitimate operators.
The raid underscores the mounting scrutiny faced by both licensed and unlicensed offshore gaming operators in the country, which regulators have increasingly linked to criminal activities such as fraud and identity theft.
CIDG Director Brigadier General Christopher Abrahano emphasized that illicit IGL and Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hubs damage the country’s reputation as a secure destination for investment and tourism.
During the raid on the Arnaiz Avenue hub, police seized a significant amount of equipment used in the operation.
The confiscated items included 59 computer monitors, 27 desktop computers, 10 processor units, 25 pre-registered SIM cards, and 227 various identification cards. The suspects remain in custody as police continue their investigation to determine the full scale of the illegal operation and identify any further co-conspirators.
