Philippines raid nets 244 foreigners in illegal gambling sweep
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Philippine enforcement agencies carried out what the Bureau of Immigration described as the country's biggest anti-illegal online gambling operation of 2026, raiding two suspected sites in Mindanao on Friday, October 2. A total of 244 foreign workers were arrested, with mainland Chinese nationals making up the vast majority, alongside one Hong Kong resident and nationals from Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar. Authorities said they seized large quantities of computers, laptops, mobile phones and SIM cards during the operation, including about 2,000 phones cited in an army report quoted by Philippine media. Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said the embassy was in contact with Philippine law enforcement to clarify details of the case
Key Points
- The Philippine Bureau of Immigration said military and multiple enforcement agencies joined the Friday, October 2 raids at two specific sites in Mindanao
- At the first site in Zamboanga Sibugay province, officers detained 110 mainland Chinese nationals, one Hong Kong resident and two Cambodian nationals.
- A further 131 foreign nationals were arrested at the second site, mostly Chinese, with others from Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.
- Investigators seized desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and SIM cards, while an army report cited by Philippine media said about 2,000 phones were confiscated
- Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado said the Philippines would strictly enforce immigration law, investigate possible trafficking links, and deport detainees not facing serious charges.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the case is directly relevant because one Hong Kong resident was among those arrested in a regional crackdown tied to illegal online gambling networks. It also shows that Philippine authorities are continuing to pursue foreign-linked gambling operations after the government imposed a full ban on the online gambling industry in 2024 over concerns about trafficking, money laundering, cyber fraud, kidnapping and murder