The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the arrest of over 100 foreigners at an illegal online gaming hub in Cebu on Saturday. The operation was conducted at a resort in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City, following a mission order issued by Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco. The order targeted 13 foreigners who were found overstaying and working without proper permits.
During the raid, authorities discovered hundreds of foreign nationals operating illegal online gaming activities from makeshift workstations within the resort premises. All arrested individuals are set to undergo inquest proceedings before potential deportation.
Resort Owners Face Possible Charges
Immigration Commissioner Tansingco stated that the BI would recommend filing charges against resort owners who allowed their properties to be used for illegal operations by foreign nationals. “This will serve as a warning to those who might attempt to start illegal online gambling operations, which have already been banned by the President,” Tansingco emphasized.
Multi-Agency Effort
The crackdown was a joint effort involving multiple 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), the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The operation underscores the Philippine government’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal online gambling and other illicit activities involving foreign nationals.