In a recent crackdown, over 100 foreign nationals were arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) during a raid targeting an illegal online gaming hub in Cebu on Saturday, August 31.
The operation, initiated based on a mission order issued by BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, focused on 13 individuals suspected of overstaying and working without proper permits at a resort located in Brgy. Agus in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
During the raid, authorities discovered numerous foreign nationals partaking in illicit online gaming activities using makeshift workstations within the confines of the resort premises.
These individuals, found engaged in illegal online gambling operations, will undergo inquest proceedings and temporary detention pending deportation.
Expressing grave concern over the situation, Tansingco emphasized the need for resort owners to be held accountable for sheltering illegal aliens on their premises.
He stated, ‘We will recommend filing charges against resort owners for enabling the accommodation of illegal aliens in their covert activities. This action will act as a deterrent for those contemplating initiating illegal online gambling operations, which have been unequivocally prohibited by the President.’
Assisting in the coordinated operation were key agencies including the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC), and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).
Additionally, personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were present to provide support to potential victims of human trafficking.
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