Taiwanese arrested in “Pogo-like” operation

CEBU, Philippines — Seventeen Taiwanese nationals were arrested in a quiet subdivision in Banilad, Cebu City in what authorities described as “POGO-like” activities, exposing a sophisticated online “romance scam” operation.

The raid was conducted on May 15, 2025, by operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation’s Special Task Force (NBI-STF) and the NBI-Central Visayas Regional Office (CEVRO).

Of the 17 arrested, 16 were men and one was a woman. Authorities confirmed that six of them are fugitives with standing warrants in Taiwan.

During a press conference, Taiwanese police officer Matt Shen revealed that some of those arrested were members of the notorious "Four Seas Gang" — a criminal syndicate involved in fraud, money laundering, and drug-related offenses.

According to investigators, the suspects used pre-written scripts and emotional spiels to carry out romance scams that targeted fellow Taiwanese nationals as well as Malaysians and Chinese.

“Makikita natin sa loob ng bahay napaka simple lang, walang activities sa labas. Nasa loob ng basement park ng bahay doon sila nag-ooperate,” said NBI-STF Agent Ranier Dela Cruz, one of the lead operatives.

Atty. Van Angluben, Executive Officer of NBI-STF, said the group had been under surveillance since May 13, following intelligence from Taiwanese authorities and the Philippine Navy’s Naval Intelligence and Security Group (NISG) indicating that high-profile fugitives had moved from Metro Manila to Cebu.

“This is the first case where we crack down on POGO operation, a scam hub operation involving purely Taiwanese nationals,” said Angluben.

The operation was launched in response to a letter request from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), and was validated by the Naval Intelligence Group, prompting immediate action from the NBI-STF and its Cybercrime Division.

Although the primary targets named in the warrant were not present during the raid, authorities discovered an active scam hub inside the residence. The setup included rows of desktop computers, mobile phones, crypto wallets, and handwritten notes outlining manipulation techniques used to deceive victims.

The entire operation was run from the basement of the house, which showed no external signs of suspicious activity — a tactic that enabled the suspects to operate undetected.

Seized during the raid were 17 central processing units (CPUs), 23 mobile phones, and two cryptocurrency wallets. All items are currently undergoing digital forensic analysis to trace communications and financial trails linked to the scams.

Shen stated that the Taiwanese government estimates around NT$1 billion (approximately P1.7 billion) is lost weekly to online scams, many of which are romance-related.

“NBI swift response prevented further harm to potential victims,” said Shen.

Dela Cruz said the group appeared to be operating under the guise of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), but clarified that their main activities were not gaming-related.

“Partly yes it's a Pogo Hub but mainly itong operation na ito ang focus nila is more on the money scam,” he added.

Angluben noted that none of the 17 arrested had passports in their possession.

“We are hoping na maglabas po ng deportation order if in case matapos po ang case nila didto… mapanagutan po nila ang cases nila doon,” Angluben said.

He also disclosed that the NBI is investigating potential Filipino accomplices, including possible involvement by local government officials.

“Once we determine that there is really an organized syndicate between these Taiwanese nationals as well as kababayan-nating Filipino, we will also be filing charges,” Angluben emphasized.

“Tatamaan po kung sino ang dapat tamaan,” he added.

Taiwanese authorities are working closely with their Philippine counterparts to facilitate the extradition of the six high-profile fugitives, who face serious charges including drug trafficking and organized fraud.

Recovered scripts from the raid revealed rehearsed narratives featuring romantic declarations and fabricated emergencies to solicit money — hallmarks of the classic romance scam model.

The suspects, who are considered undocumented aliens, will be facing charges under Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act, including computer-related forgery, social engineering, and economic sabotage.

NBI officials believe this is only the beginning of a broader crackdown on foreign-led scam hubs using the Philippines as a base of operations. The agency is also looking into possible link of their operation to the close to half billion pesos seized at the Mactan Cebu International Airport last week.

The suspects are currently detained at the NBI-CEVRO headquarters and are set to be transferred to Manila for further investigation and legal proceedings. — /FPL (FREEMAN)