The Philippine police have recently launched a new round of intense crackdowns on the remaining illegal offshore gambling operations (POGO) within the country. In addition to strengthening patrols and blockades of coastal "backdoor" smuggling routes, law enforcement actions have also extended to cross-border pursuits of fugitive key figures, demonstrating the country's determination to eradicate this gray industry associated with human trafficking and online fraud.
Sealing off sea and land routes, blocking the escape paths of criminal groups
The acting chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Major General Nartates, has ordered national law enforcement units to enhance patrols and surveillance of potential "backdoor routes." This mature smuggling channel used by criminal groups specifically involves: setting sail from Palawan Island in the Philippines, smuggling into Sabah, Malaysia, and then traveling by land to Myawaddy in Myanmar or Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The police are strengthening cooperation with intelligence agencies and foreign counterparts to intercept personnel and assets transferred through these routes. This action aims to completely sever the physical escape paths of illegal POGO operators, or in our words, to "weld the door shut."
From economic engine to scam hotspot: The downfall of POGO
Why is the cleanup of illegal POGO so resolute? This requires a look back at its history. In its early years, POGO thrived as a licensed industry providing online gambling services overseas (mainly to China), contributing approximately 35 billion pesos to the Philippine economy annually at its peak. However, most operations gradually degenerated into "scam centers," involving cryptocurrency scams, online romance scams, etc., and subjected many foreign workers lured by "high-paying jobs" to forced labor and abuse. Although President Marcos has ordered the prohibition and revocation of all POGO licenses by the end of 2024, underground activities and cross-border recruitment have not yet disappeared.
First conviction and million-peso bounty, relentless judicial accountability
On the judicial level, the Philippines has shown an attitude of relentless accountability. Last month, former mayor Alice Guo of Bongabong province was sentenced to life imprisonment under the new "Aggravated Trafficking in Persons Act" for involvement in human trafficking within her jurisdiction's POGO park. This is the first conviction since the act took effect, with significant implications—even if not directly involved in abuse, organizing or instructing others to enslave laborers can lead to severe sentencing. Additionally, this month, the Department of Justice offered a bounty of one million pesos for key figure Cassandra Li Ong of the "Lucky 99 South" POGO park in Pangasinan province. Believed to have fled to Japan, she may face similar charges. The authorities have even sought the arrest of the former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque, who served as the legal representative for the park, through Interpol. These actions clearly indicate that the crackdown has escalated to a global pursuit of top figures in the industry chain.
In summary, the current crackdown on illegal POGO in the Philippines presents a multi-dimensional situation of "sea-land blockade + judicial settlement + international cooperation." This cleanup not only concerns public security but also involves economic transformation and social image. For industry observers, following the subsequent reports on the PASA official website can provide authoritative information on the evolving regulatory environment in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. In the post-POGO era, the Philippines is trying to completely leave behind this controversial chapter, but the lingering issues of public security, employment, and assets still require time to resolve.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leader," a gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
