On May 27, Philippine police raided an office building in Antipolo City, Rizal Province, successfully dismantling a transnational online scam hub targeting overseas victims, and arrested 70 people on the scene, including one minor.
This operation was led by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Rizal Provincial Police, and Antipolo local police, based on a court-issued search, seizure, and computer data inspection order.
The police targeted the building owner "Arthur" (pseudonym), who is suspected of violating Article 26 of Republic Act No. 8799, the Securities Regulation Code, and Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, who was the main target of this operation.
According to reports, this scam hub has been on the police watchlist since 2024, initially based on a report from an Australian victim, submitted to the Philippine law enforcement by the international investigation firm IFW Global. The victim claimed to have been deceived on a fake investment platform, which was traced back to the scam center uncovered in this operation.
During the raid, a large amount of computers and networking equipment was seized, and digital forensics are currently underway to clarify the scope of the victims, the flow of funds, and the organizational structure behind it.
All 70 individuals arrested during the raid were taken to the police station for further investigation, one of whom was underage. The police stated that they do not rule out the involvement of more serious crimes such as human trafficking and forced labor, and will cooperate with the judicial department for a thorough investigation.
The director of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, **Brigadier General Bernard Yang**, emphasized: "This raid demonstrates our firm commitment to combating online fraud. Any act of deceiving others using technological means will not escape legal sanctions."
The police added that the case is still under investigation, and more suspects or masterminds may emerge. The seized electronic data is currently being encrypted and analyzed for comparison, and the case has officially entered the judicial process.
