OPERATIVES of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested two Cameroonians in Makati last Monday night for financial fraud.
The CIDG said the suspects — Abass Njintana, alias Mossico White; and Ndoukouo Mama — were nabbed at around 6:40 p.m. in an entrapment operation at Elton Tower, Mini Suites on Dela Rosa St., Barangay San Lorenzo.
Seventeen more foreigners were also arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation for alleged involvement in cybercrime activities.
In a press briefing at the NBI headquarters in Quezon City, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the arrested suspects include 15 Chinese nationals, one Taiwanese and a Malaysian.
The Malaysian acted as the supervisor of the group, the NBI said.
The CIDG said the operation against the Cameroonians, pursued under Oplan OLEA (other law enforcement activities), was conducted in coordination with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
It said the suspects were arrested for estafa, forging treasury notes, using fictitious names and concealing true identity, and violation of Presidential Decree 247 (prohibiting and penalizing defacement, mutilation, tearing, burning or destruction of Central Bank notes and coins).
Seized from the two were identification cards, five cellular phones, a notebook, Euro and Philippine peso bills, a small gray box containing cotton, bottles containing unknown chemicals, two syringes, and dusted money.
“The suspects were informed of their constitutional rights in a language they understood, and the operation was documented using body-worn cameras for transparency,” the CIDG said.
The two are currently under the custody of the CIDG Anti-Organized Crime Unit “for further documentation, investigation, and filing of appropriate charges”, the CIDG said.
“The arrest of these suspects sends a strong message that the CIDG remains resolute in its fight against financial crime and organized criminal activities,” said CIDG director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III.
Torre said the CIDG will “continue to pursue these offenders to safeguard the integrity of our economy and ensure public safety.”
NBI ARRESTS
“Through the help of our assets, we were able to discover their scamming activities. So we applied for (a) search warrant with the Makati regional trial court,” Santiago said.
He said information the bureau gathered showed the foreigners were part of an “organized cybercrime group engaged in large-scale scamming activities.”
Armed with the search warrant issued by Branch 147 of the Makati RTC, operatives from the NBI Cybercrime Division raided a building last October 11 on Mascardo St., Tejeros, Makati and apprehended the suspects.
Santiago said aside from arresting the 17, NBI operatives also seized desktop computers, laptops and cellular phones used in the “illicit online operations.”
“Controlled viewing and onsite forensic examination conducted on the electronic devices led to the discovery of digital evidence, tools and applications for social engineering schemes, illegal access, misuse of device, computer-related forgery and fraud in violation of RA 12010 or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” the NBI chief said.
NBI Cybercrime Division chief Jeremy Lotoc said the scamming activities of the suspects started last January.
“Most of their victims were also Chinese. Those who are prone to financial and love scamming,” Lotoc said.
Lotoc said some of the suspects previously worked in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry but disbanded and formed smaller groups to evade detection.
Lotoc said they are also verifying the status of the arrested foreigners with the Bureau of Immigration, adding the 17 failed to provide documents allowing their stay in the country.
Lotoc said they are also working to uncover the money trail used by the suspects in their operation and the proceeds of their scamming activities.
