Recently, there has been a noticeable change in the raid operations by Philippine law enforcement agencies against illegal POGO and online fraud activities, with the arrest targets shifting from Chinese nationals in the early stages to Korean suspects. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration, police, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have jointly conducted operations in multiple locations such as Cebu, Pampanga, Camarines Sur, and the Clark Freeport Zone, cracking down on numerous gambling backends, scam dens, and fake outsourcing companies operated by Korean teams. In mid-October, the Bureau of Immigration raided an apartment in Pampanga and found seven Korean men operating a complete gambling system, seizing multiple computers and devices on site. Analysis indicates that this change is due to China's strengthened control over outbound travel and crackdown on overseas fraud, leading to the contraction of Chinese teams and some grey businesses being taken over by teams from Korea, Vietnam, and other countries. The Philippine authorities emphasize that law enforcement does not discriminate by nationality and will continue to crack down on all illegal POGO activities.
Law Enforcement Trends and Changes in Action
Recently, the Philippines has seen a significant shift in actions against illegal POGO and fraud, with law enforcement now focusing on Korean suspects. The Bureau of Immigration, police, and the National Bureau of Investigation continue to carry out joint raids in various regions.
This change reflects the dynamic adjustment of Philippine law enforcement strategies with the changing structure of underground economy participants, not targeting specific nationalities.
Details of the Pampanga Raid
In mid-October, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration raided an apartment in Pampanga province, initially planning to arrest a wanted Korean national. During the operation, seven Korean men were found operating a complete gambling backend system, and multiple computers, cameras, and network devices were seized.
The Bureau of Immigration's statement emphasizes that "regardless of nationality or scale, all illegal POGO activities will be prosecuted," showing the consistency of law enforcement standards.
Actions and Arrests in Various Locations
Recent law enforcement actions against Korean suspects have occurred in various places in the Philippines: a Korean scam leader was arrested at a golf course in Cebu; a raid in Camarines Sur targeted a fake outsourcing company operated by Koreans; in Manila, a Korean gang involved in online fraud was extradited.
These publicly reported cases show an expansion in the frequency and scope of law enforcement actions.
Background and Analysis of Changes in Enforcement Targets
The shift in enforcement targets is due to the replacement of groups involved in the underground economy. As China strengthens capital outflow controls, cracks down on overseas fraud, and tightens visa reviews, Chinese grey production teams gradually shrink and withdraw.
The market space created has been taken over by teams from Korea, Vietnam, and Russia, leading to changes in law enforcement targets.
Enforcement Logic and Official Stance
The Philippine law enforcement agencies emphasize that their action logic is always based on "who is active, who violates, who is investigated," not targeting specific nationalities. The Bureau of Immigration has repeatedly stated that it will continue to crack down on all illegal POGO and fraud activities.
The official stance shows that the focus of law enforcement naturally shifts with the changing main bodies of illegal activities, with no selective enforcement.
Industry Impact and Market Response
As Chinese teams contract and Korean teams become more active, structural changes occur in the Philippine gambling grey industry. The replacement of underground economy participants leads to a synchronous adjustment in law enforcement targets.
Market insiders note that this change may cause short-term business fluctuations, but the long-term continuity and coverage of law enforcement have not weakened.
International Cooperation and Extradition Handling
Law enforcement actions against foreign suspects involve international cooperation, with a Korean suspect involved in online fraud in the Manila area already starting the extradition process. The Philippines strengthens cooperation with relevant countries through channels such as Interpol.
Transnational law enforcement cooperation has become an important means to combat cross-border grey industries.
Local Observations and Social Discussions
Local residents in the Philippines have noticed the change in law enforcement targets, with many discussions noting "recent arrests are mostly Koreans, while the Chinese seem quiet." This observation reflects the actual replacement of the main bodies in the underground economy activities.
Social opinion generally supports continuous law enforcement, regardless of the nationality involved in illegal activities.
Technical Means and Effects of Actions
Law enforcement actions use technical monitoring and clue tracking, such as the Pampanga operation that started with the location of a wanted criminal, unexpectedly discovering a complete POGO operation den. Seized equipment includes computers, servers, network devices, and monitoring systems.
The action shows that law enforcement agencies have improved their technical investigation capabilities against underground economy activities.
Future Trends and Ongoing Supervision
Analysts believe that Philippine law enforcement agencies will continue to maintain a high-pressure stance against illegal POGO and fraud activities, with action targets dynamically adjusting with the changing violators. The increased activity of Korean teams makes them the current focus.
In the future, it is not excluded that the focus of law enforcement may adjust again with the changing structure of underground economy participants.
