More than 450 people arrested in the Philippines during raid on alleged Chinese-run scam centre

Over 450 people were arrested in the Philippines during a raid on an alleged Chinese-run scam centre in Manila on Feb. 20.

According to the country's anti-organised crime commission, this includes the detainment of 137 Chinese nationals, including five "bosses", AFP reported.

Initial investigations suggested that the centre targeted victims in India and China with sports betting and investment schemes.

The five bosses also face potential trafficking charges.

Organised crime groups have used scam centres as cover for crimes like murder and human trafficking

AFP further reported that such centres, which are called online gaming operators in the Philippines, are also used as cover by organised crime groups for human trafficking, money laundering, online fraud, kidnappings and murder.

A ban on these operators was imposed in 2024 by the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos.

The Philippines anti-organised crime commission chief, Gilberto Cruz, said the recent Feb. 20 raid proves that the workers in such centres are still attempting to continue their scamming activities despite the ban.

Cruz was previously quoted by the AFP as saying that about 21,000 Chinese nationals have continued to operate smaller-scale scam operations in the country since the ban came into effect in July 2024.

Earlier in January, around 100 people were arrested in another raid, also carried out in Manila, on another scam centre, AFP reported.

Most of the people arrested in that raid were local Filipinos, with Cruz noting that their targets were also primarily Filipinos.

Top photo via AlJazeera/YouTube