Philippines arrests 277 Chinese accused of running online investment scam
- The investment fraud has victimised more than 1,000 Chinese nationals and the raid was coordinated with Beijing
- Authorities initially ordered the arrest of four Chinese suspects but 273 others were caught ‘in the act’
The arrests on Wednesday in the Ortigas financial district in Pasig city in the Manila metropolis came after the Chinese Embassy provided information about the fraud, which has victimised more than 1,000 Chinese, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
Morente said he initially ordered the arrest of four Chinese but authorities caught 273 other suspects “in the act of conducting illegal online operations.”
The Chinese government cancelled the passports of those arrested, making them illegal workers in the Philippines. They would be charged and detained in an immigration jail before deportation, the immigration bureau said.
“Their presence in the country is a risk to public security,” Morente said. “These fugitives will be hunted, deported, and will be blacklisted, effectively banning them from re-entering the country.”