Photo credit: PAOCC

A coordinated sting operation has led to the arrest of 29 foreign nationals involved in an underground Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activity. The raid, conducted on a quiet Wednesday in a resort in Silang, Cavite, was anything but typical.

It all started when the owner of Elijosh Resort in Barangay Lalaan 2 noticed something fishy going on. The unusual influx of foreign nationals, mostly Chinese, with loads of gambling gear, raised enough red flags for the owner to alert the authorities.

In response, a powerhouse team was assembled, including members from the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (Calabarzon Regional Field Unit), the Bureau of Immigration's Fugitive Search Unit, the Cavite Police Provincial Office, and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission. Their combined efforts paid off when they swooped in, arresting 23 Chinese nationals and six Myanmar nationals, all allegedly knee-deep in illegal POGO operations.

This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment bust; the mission order was greenlit by the Bureau of Immigration, which is now fast-tracking deportation proceedings for the suspects.

This crackdown comes hot on the heels of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s firm stance against POGOs, banning the industry due to its ties to criminal activities. It’s clear that the government's message is loud and clear: illegal operations won’t be tolerated.