2023-05-06 09:20:57
Philippine authorities say they have freed more than 1,000 people from various Asian countries who were being held captive by criminals. A police spokeswoman said Saturday that a raid in Mabalacat, about 90 kilometers north of Manila, freed 1,090 people who had been forced into online scams. According to them, they were supposed to trick unsuspecting people in the US, Canada and Europe.
Detainees’ passports were confiscated and they were forced to work up to 18 hours a day, with wage deductions for offenses such as contact with colleagues and taking too long breaks. “You’re like a prisoner without a cell. You’re not even allowed to talk to your roommates,” said the spokeswoman for the AFP news agency. People were therefore not allowed to leave the property. After work, they were taken to their dormitories.
According to the police, most of the victims were Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Indonesians. But among them were also nationals of Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hong Kong and Nepal. The workers have been taught how to trick strangers into buying cryptocurrency or transferring money to bogus accounts after faking a romantic relationship, the police spokeswoman said. At least twelve suspects were arrested. The spokeswoman said the seven Chinese, five Indonesians and one Malaysian were accused of human trafficking.
According to the information, the police action followed a request from the Indonesian ambassador in Manila to help find nationals. Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros warned last month that “scam call centers” were operating in the Philippines with illegally imported foreigners. In recent months, international concern about cyber fraud in the region has grown. People are often coerced or tricked into selling fraudulent crypto investments under false pretenses.
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