Asia
Police officers raided buildings in Manila on Jun 27, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Jam Sta Rosa)
27 Jun 2023 05:04PM (Updated: 27 Jun 2023 05:08PM)
Initial investigations show that the victims were from several countries, including Singapore, China, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Police officers raided buildings in Manila on Jun 27, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Jam Sta Rosa)
27 Jun 2023 05:04PM (Updated: 27 Jun 2023 05:08PM)
MANILA: Philippine police said on Tuesday (Jun 27) they have rescued more than 1,000 people allegedly trafficked into the country to work for an online casino in Manila.
Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Malaysian victims were among those found when police raided buildings in the capital on Monday night.
Police said the alleged victims had accepted jobs posted on Facebook to work in the Philippines as "assistants in online gaming".
Seven buildings were raided and at least 1,190 foreigners and 1,525 Filipinos were rescued, said Michelle Sabino, a spokeswoman for the Philippine National Police's anti-cybercrime group.
Police are also investigating if the workers participated in love scams or cryptocurrency scams, said Sabino.
A policeman stands guard inside a compound, where police raided buildings in Manila on Jun 27, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Jam Sta Rosa)
International concern has been growing over internet scams in the Asia-Pacific region often staffed by trafficking victims tricked or coerced into promoting bogus crypto investments.
AFP journalists at the scene on Tuesday saw two police buses and two police trucks parked outside the compound. They were not allowed to enter the buildings.
"This is initially a case of human trafficking," Sabino told reporters after the raid.
"Everything will be investigated," she said, including whether the workers were involved in online rackets.
CNA has contacted Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the police for more information.
In May, authorities rescued more than a thousand people from several Asian nations who had been trafficked into the Philippines, held captive and forced to run online scams.
Philippine police rescue more than 1,000 alleged trafficking victims, including Singaporeans
Initial investigations show that the victims were from several countries, including Singapore, China, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Police officers raided buildings in Manila on Jun 27, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Jam Sta Rosa)
27 Jun 2023 05:04PM (Updated: 27 Jun 2023 05:08PM)
Initial investigations show that the victims were from several countries, including Singapore, China, Malaysia and Vietnam.
27 Jun 2023 05:04PM (Updated: 27 Jun 2023 05:08PM)
MANILA: Philippine police said on Tuesday (Jun 27) they have rescued more than 1,000 people allegedly trafficked into the country to work for an online casino in Manila.
Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Malaysian victims were among those found when police raided buildings in the capital on Monday night.
Police said the alleged victims had accepted jobs posted on Facebook to work in the Philippines as "assistants in online gaming".
Seven buildings were raided and at least 1,190 foreigners and 1,525 Filipinos were rescued, said Michelle Sabino, a spokeswoman for the Philippine National Police's anti-cybercrime group.
Police are also investigating if the workers participated in love scams or cryptocurrency scams, said Sabino.
International concern has been growing over internet scams in the Asia-Pacific region often staffed by trafficking victims tricked or coerced into promoting bogus crypto investments.
AFP journalists at the scene on Tuesday saw two police buses and two police trucks parked outside the compound. They were not allowed to enter the buildings.
"This is initially a case of human trafficking," Sabino told reporters after the raid.
"Everything will be investigated," she said, including whether the workers were involved in online rackets.
CNA has contacted Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the police for more information.
In May, authorities rescued more than a thousand people from several Asian nations who had been trafficked into the Philippines, held captive and forced to run online scams.
