SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Authorities arrested 232 Vietnamese nationals during a law enforcement operation targeting suspected online financial scams at UPower Building 2 in Subic Gateway Park, Subic Bay Freeport, on October 22.
The operation was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Pampanga District Office (NBI-PAMDO) and Olongapo District Office (NBI-OLDO), together with the Philippine Air Force, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Philippine National Police, and other government agencies.
Authorities implemented a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) issued on October 21 by Presiding Judge Edwin C. Torres of the Regional Trial Court, Third Judicial Region, Branch 73, in Olongapo City.
The warrant covered alleged violations of Sections 4(b), 4(c) and 5(a) of Republic Act No. 12010, or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), in relation to Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The arrested individuals are suspected of involvement in online financial scams, alleged online gambling fraud and other large-scale cyber-enabled fraudulent activities.
Initial reports indicated that the suspected operations may have involved victims from the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the Philippines, the United States, Thailand and other countries.
During the search, authorities seized various electronic devices and computer equipment allegedly used or intended for use in the suspected activities. These included desktop computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, computer processing units, USB flash drives, removable storage devices, SIM cards, card scanners, memory card readers, webcams, routers and closed-circuit television equipment.
Investigators also secured digital data and other potential evidence, including social media and messaging accounts, digital wallet information, online platform account details, usernames, contact lists, electronic documents, photographs, screenshots, text messages, chat histories, emails and other communications allegedly connected to the suspected fraudulent activities.
Passports, travel documents and other identification papers were also found at the premises.
The 232 arrested Vietnamese nationals were brought through documentation and booking procedures following the operation.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details on the identities of the suspects, the extent of the alleged financial losses and the next legal steps in the case.
