Subic Freeport ‘scam hub’ raid yields 200 Vietnamese
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Authorities raided a suspected online scam hub here and found about 200 Vietnamese nationals who were allegedly involved in online financial scams and other cyber-enabled fraudulent activities.
The operation was conducted at UPower Building 2 in Subic Gateway Park on Thursday by the National Bureau of Investigation Pampanga District Office, with assistance from the NBI Olongapo District Office, the Philippine Air Force, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, the Philippine National Police and other government agencies.
According to the NBI, the raid followed a month of surveillance and intelligence gathering on the facility.
Authorities implemented a warrant to search, seize and examine computer data issued on Wednesday by Judge Edwin Torres of the Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Olongapo City.
The warrant covered alleged violations of Sections 4(b), 4(c) and 5(a) of Republic Act No. 12010, or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, in relation to Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Authorities said the group’s alleged operations involved victims in the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Vietnam, the United States, Thailand and other countries.
The NBI separately identified the Philippines, the UAE and Bangladesh as targets based on staff schedules recovered at the facility.
Tracing money
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said investigators would trace the money allegedly handled by the operation, including transactions through bank accounts and electronic wallets.
“We are working overtime in our fight against scam hubs and transnational online fraud. We will not stop at seizing computers and scripts. We will look into bank accounts, e-wallets, and the people who rent them out,” Matibag said in a statement.
He added: “We are following the money from this facility to every account that held it. Anyone who lends an account to these operations will be held accountable under the law.”
The NBI said it was screening the Vietnamese nationals to determine whether any had been recruited through deception or held against their will.
Those identified as victims of human trafficking would be treated in accordance with Republic Act No. 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended.
The bureau was coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the Vietnamese Embassy regarding the workers’ welfare, documentation and possible repatriation.
According to the NBI, it was preparing complaints against individuals who allegedly organized, managed and financed the operation for violations of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, as amended.
The bureau was also working with the Anti-Money Laundering Council and financial institutions to identify and freeze bank accounts and electronic wallets allegedly used by the operation.
Investigators were looking into the operators and their links abroad.
During the raid, authorities seized electronic devices, computer equipment, storage media and other items allegedly used or intended for use in the suspected offenses.
These included desktop computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, computer processing units, USB flash drives, removable storage media, SIM cards, card scanners, memory card readers, webcams, routers, closed-circuit television equipment and other electronic paraphernalia.
Investigators also took custody of digital information and other potential evidence, including social media accounts, messaging applications, digital wallet information, online platform account data, usernames, contact lists, electronic documents, photographs, screenshots, text messages, chat histories, emails and other communications allegedly linked to the suspected activities.
Passports, travel documents and other identification papers were also found at the premises.
