THE Central Luzon Police Regional Office yesterday said authorities have arrested 27 Chinese nationals for allegedly operating scam hubs inside the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.
The first raid was carried out by personnel from the Central Luzon police, Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Intelligence Service of the AFP at the Asian Greenville Resort in Barangay Jose Abad Santos in Mabalacat City at around 2 a.m. by virtue of a mission order issued by immigration bureau.
The raid led to the arrest of 24 Chinese, including two females, who police said were “caught in the act of operating a cryptocurrency investment scam hub.”
The Central Luzon police, in a statement, said eight Filipinos, all females, were also found in the area.
A television report said the Filipinos are workers of the scam hub and were “rescued” by the authorities.
An hour later, authorities conducted another raid at a condominium unit in Clark Hills Village D, Sacobia Street, also in Mabalacat City, leading to the arrest of three more Chinese nationals.
Police said the three were “engaged in phishing and other scam-related activities.”
Seized during the operation were numerous computer workstations and electronic devices, which are now undergoing forensic examination.
Central Luzon police director Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones commended the personnel “for their swift and coordinated action.”
“These operations are a testament to our intensified campaign against transnational cybercrimes and illegal POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) activities,” Peñones said.
“We are sending a clear message — Central Luzon is not a haven for scammers and exploiters,” he added.
He said the PNP will “work relentlessly,” in collaboration with other agencies, “to protect our communities and extend appropriate support to those exploited by these syndicates.”
