INFRAME ASIA, NEWS – Philippine authorities have arrested 244 foreign nationals in a major crackdown on suspected illegal online gaming and scam operations. The arrests were made during simultaneous raids in Zamboanga Sibugay on October 2, 2026, Philippine Standard Time (PST, UTC+8). Authorities described the operation as the largest crackdown on illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities in the country so far this year.
The raids were carried out in two locations in the municipalities of Siay and Alicia on the southern island of Mindanao. Officials said 113 foreign nationals were arrested at the first site, including 110 Chinese citizens, two Cambodians and one Hong Kong resident. Another 131 foreigners were detained at the second location, most of them Chinese nationals.
Authorities also found large quantities of equipment believed to have been used in illegal online activities. The seized items included about 3,000 mobile phones, laptops, computer monitors and cellular SIM cards. Officials said the equipment indicated that an organized online operation was being conducted at one of the sites.
The Philippine Bureau of Immigration conducted the operation together with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Intelligence and enforcement teams were deployed simultaneously at the two locations. The operation was part of a wider government campaign against illegal POGO-related activities.
The Philippine government banned POGO operations in 2024 after authorities linked some operators to serious crimes. Investigators have accused criminal groups of using gaming companies as fronts for human trafficking, money laundering, online fraud, kidnapping and other illegal activities. A subsequent anti-POGO law further strengthened the prohibition against offshore gaming operations in the country.
The latest arrests involved foreign nationals from several Asian countries. Aside from Chinese citizens, those detained included people from Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Hong Kong. Authorities said the nationalities and identities of some of those arrested were still being verified.
Immigration officials are investigating possible violations involving work permits and immigration status. Some of the detainees are also being investigated over alleged involvement in illegal POGO-related online activities. Authorities are separately coordinating with other agencies to determine whether human trafficking offenses were committed at the sites.
Philippine Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said the government would continue enforcing immigration laws against foreign nationals involved in prohibited activities. He said the authorities wanted to ensure that the Philippines would not be used as a base for illegal operations. The government has increasingly focused on foreign-run online operations following the nationwide POGO ban.
The authorities are also preparing deportation proceedings for foreigners found to have violated Philippine immigration laws. Those who receive deportation orders may be placed on an immigration blacklist, preventing them from returning to the Philippines. The government said the legal process would determine the status and potential violations of each person arrested.
The crackdown comes amid growing regional concern over scam centers and trafficking networks operating across Southeast Asia. Thousands of people have been forced or coerced into working in online fraud operations in several countries in recent years. In the Philippines, authorities have continued targeting facilities suspected of operating illegally despite the nationwide ban on POGO activities.
