Philippines arrests 244 in online scam crackdown

Philippine authorities arrested 244 foreign workers during raids on two alleged illegal online gaming sites in Mindanao, the Bureau of Immigration said.

The bureau said those detained in the October 2 raids were mostly Chinese. At one site, authorities arrested 110 Chinese nationals, two Cambodians and one Hong Kong resident. At the second site, 131 foreigners were arrested, mostly Chinese and also including citizens of Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.

The bureau said large quantities of computer equipment, mobile phones, laptops and SIM cards were seized. It said the government is investigating possible human trafficking-related offences involving some of those arrested, while the rest will be deported.

The Philippines banned Philippine online gaming operators, known locally as POGOs, in 2024, saying organised crime groups used them as cover for human trafficking, money laundering, online fraud, kidnappings and murder.

Immigration chief Joel Viado said authorities would enforce immigration laws against foreign nationals who violate the conditions of their stay. The immigration bureau described the raids as the largest POGO bust of 2026.

Chinese embassy spokesman Ji Lingpeng told AFP that the embassy was seeking details from Philippine law enforcement agencies. He said Chinese law prohibits any form of gambling, including Chinese nationals gambling overseas or working for gambling companies.