Law enforcement officials have cracked down on an illegal POGO hub in Pasay City, leading to the arrest of 21 individuals, including six South Korean nationals and 15 Filipinos. The raid, conducted on Monday evening, was a joint operation by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
Raid Uncovers Online Gambling, Cryptocurrency Operations
The raid took place inside the Heritage Hotel at the intersection of Roxas Boulevard and EDSA around 5:20 p.m. PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said the operation was prompted by intelligence reports indicating that a group of South Koreans was running an online gaming hub primarily catering to their fellow nationals.
Authorities discovered that the suspects were involved in sports betting, cryptocurrency transactions, and online scamming. Some Filipino employees admitted that they had previously worked for POGO companies that ceased operations after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. imposed a ban on the industry.
Legal Troubles for Foreign Suspects
The six arrested South Koreans are currently detained at the PAOCC facility in Pasay. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that one of them was already on the agency’s blacklist and had been overstaying in the country without the proper visa.
Another suspect presented a 9G visa, which is meant for pre-arranged employment, but upon verification, it was found to have been issued for a different company. One South Korean was on a lapsed tourist visa, while the remaining three held valid resident visas. However, despite their visa status, they still face potential violations of the Philippine Immigration Act.
BI officials stated that the arrested foreigners would undergo an immigration inquest for their visa-related offenses, separate from any criminal charges they may face.
Possible Charges and Further Investigation
Authorities are preparing charges against the suspects for violating Republic Act 8799 (the Securities Regulation Code) and the Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175) in connection with illegal gambling.
PAOCC and the PNP-CIDG have also applied for a warrant to search and analyze digital evidence seized during the raid. Among the confiscated items were hundreds of one-time password (OTP) generators and USB devices believed to contain cryptocurrency wallets. Investigators suspect these devices were used to facilitate online financial transactions linked to gambling and fraud.
Hotel Management Under Scrutiny
The operation has raised concerns about how an illegal POGO hub was able to function inside the Heritage Hotel. PAOCC has announced that the hotel’s management will also be investigated to determine whether they had knowledge of or involvement in the illegal activities.
Government authorities have been intensifying their crackdown on illicit offshore gaming operations, particularly after a series of incidents linking POGO hubs to organized crime, human trafficking, and fraud.
While the investigation continues, PAOCC has reiterated its commitment to dismantling unauthorized gambling operations and holding accountable those who facilitate such activities.
Authorities have also emphasized the broader implications of illegal POGO activities, noting that these operations not only violate gambling and immigration laws but may also be linked to larger transnational crimes such as money laundering and cyber fraud.
The government’s ongoing crackdown is part of a wider effort to ensure that the Philippines does not become a hub for illicit online gaming and financial crimes, with law enforcement agencies vowing to intensify monitoring and enforcement against similar operations in the future.
