AUTHORITIES dismantled an alleged international cyber‑scam hub at UPower Building 2 within the Subic Gateway Park on Thursday, rescuing approximately 200 Vietnamese nationals who were reportedly being used to carry out online financial fraud and other cyber‑enabled crimes.
The operation was led by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Pampanga District Office, working alongside the NBI Olongapo District Office, the Philippine Air Force, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, the Philippine National Police, and other government agencies. The raid followed a month‑long surveillance and intelligence‑gathering effort to verify reports of illicit activity at the facility.
The search was carried out under a warrant issued on Wednesday by Judge Edwin Torres of the Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Olongapo City, authorizing authorities to search the premises and seize digital equipment and data. The warrant 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, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Investigators said the group’s targets extended across multiple nations, with victims identified in the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the United States, Thailand, and beyond. Recovered staff schedules further flagged the Philippines, the UAE, and Bangladesh as primary areas of operation.
The 200 Vietnamese nationals found at the site are being processed, with authorities determining their status and next steps. The raid underscores growing concerns about the emergence of organized cyber‑scam hubs operating within the country’s special economic zones. Officials have yet to identify any individuals alleged to be the masterminds behind the operation, and further investigations are underway to establish the full scope of the syndicate’s activities, identify any local accomplices, and pursue criminal charges against those responsible.
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