Cyber police probes internet fraud in Boracay

Operatives from the Cyber Crime Group of the Philippine National Police is conducting a thorough probe into the operations of suspected international internet syndicate discovered in a villa in this resort island.

At least two personnel from Camp Crame arrived in this resort island Monday to track the laptops and internet routers of the suspects. Some 18 Taiwanese and seven Chinese nationals were arrested by authorities.

Police officials stormed the compound of a resort in Barangay Balabag here which they initially thought was allegedly being used as a shabu laboratory.

Prior to the raid, police has arrested one of the suspects Lin Tzu in a buy-bust operation. The police then searched the compound where Tzu is staying.

When they arrived, they discovered a sound proof building that has at least 10 cubicles complete with telephone lines, laptops and other gadgets. Aside from the gadgets, police has also recovered volumes of suspected illegal party drugs such as ecstasy, shabu, heroin, and cocaine, among others.

According to a Taiwanese interpreter who helped the police and the immigration personnel in investigation, the suspects claimed that they were told to allegedly work as an internet gamer.

Many of the suspects, as affirmed by their passports, had toured international destinations such as Malaysia, Uganda, Bangladesh, Kenya, Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia.

They claimed of not having been paid by their employer for "internet gaming jobs" thus they came to the Philippines to find another employer. In the Philippines, they were promised by their employer to pay them PHP75,000 aside from the leisure of visiting other tourism destinations in the country.

The interpreter said the suspects are calling companies and businessmen in China, who had allegedly committed certain violations and must pay penalties.