More than 2k workers, foreigners rescued in Las Piñas POGO hub

THE PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and PNP National Capital Region Police Office operatives have rescued more than 2,000 people allegedly trafficked into the country to work for an online casino in Manila.

Among those rescued were Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Malaysian nationals. The victims were working when police raided buildings inside a compound in the capital on Monday night.

Police said the alleged victims had accepted jobs posted on Facebook to work in the Philippines as “assistants in online gaming”.

International concern has been growing over internet scams in the Asia-Pacific region often staffed by trafficking victims tricked or coerced into promoting bogus crypto investments.

PNP-ACG Spokesperson, P/Capt. Michelle Sabino, said the rescued identified themselves as workers in online casino.

Some of the victims, according to Sabino, were recruited by illegal recruiters who promised of huge salary.