100,000 unregistered sim cards recovered in June 2023 POGO raid in Manila

The Philippine National Police’s July crackdown of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in one of Metro Manila’s component cities led to simcards allegedly used for online scams.

Original story by Jiselle Casucian for GMA Integrated News with insights from ACN Newsdesk.

Over 100,000 unregistered sim cards were confiscated by the PNP Cybercrime Group during the June 2023 raid on an alleged POGO hub in Las Piñas, where more than 2,000 individuals were rescued by police.

The sim cards were allegedly being used by online crime syndicates for several online scams, such as text spam blasts and online love scams.

Also confiscated were 10 multi-port GSM Modems, which are machines used for text-blasting or sending bulk messages to different recipients in one click.

“This is being operated like a call center,” National Telecommunications Security Council representative Ronnie Del Prado said.

“Mere possession of this is a violation. What they should have here are TELCOs,” PNP Anti Cybercrime Group Spokesperson Police Captain Michelle Sabino added.

The National Telecommunications Security Council was studying how to implement more strategies that stopped the spread of cybercrime in the country.

Meanwhile, authorities said two minors, a Malaysian and an Indonesian, were also rescued during the POGO hub raid.

The PNP-ACG, who said that may be joining POGO inspections with other government agencies in the future, also said that several Filipinos nabbed in the Las Piñas POGO hub, but were subsequently released, were re-arrested in a recent raid on a Cavite scam-hub.

The Philippine government has intensified efforts against illegal gambling in the country. Recently, a component city of Metro Manila issued a city-wide ban against POGOs and other online gambling activities.

National government figures have also made pronouncements in support of these recent developments against POGOs, with the country’s Finance Secretary saying that the revenue is not worth retaining the industry.

Senators have likewise urged the Marcos government to issue an absolute ban, with one senator saying that online gambling operators get away with ‘billions of unpaid taxes.

On the local government side, since last year, other component cities of Metro Manila have regulations against POGOs, with the latest being Valenzuela issuing at outright ban in the city.

To read the original story iselle Casucian for GMA Integrated News visit https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/876539/100-000-unregistered-sims-seized-in-las-pinas-pogo-hub-raid/story/