The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) has arrested 94 individuals as part of an illegal gambling bust.
The acting Chief Brigadier General Bernard Yang announced that an operation was deployed to capture the attention of those involved in illegal gambling in the city of Talrac.
The region of San Vicente is home to 18,000 people, and the PNP ACG used the small town as the setting for the sting operation. It targeted a group that had been operating online and in-person raffles and lotteries.
The PNP ACG was deployed to the region following a 2024 investigation into the actions of a group operating these unlicensed events. They sought no official approval from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, PAGCOR, the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
“This was clearly a fraudulent operation,” said Yang. “They had no documents proving the legitimacy of the raffle, and evidence suggests that only insiders were selected to win the major prizes.”
A Toyota Forerunner, valued at $79,800, a wedding package, and multiple other lucrative items were part of the prize pool that the illegal gamblers had on display.
The PNP ACG cracked down on a total of 94 individuals, comprising three financiers and operators, 18 administrative staff, 43 head distributors, 19 distributors, and 11 agents, who were “illegally facilitating online and offline raffle draws without the required permits and legal documentation,” said the release.
Those arrested will be prosecuted under Philippine illegal gambling regulation PD 1602, concerning Section 6 of RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012).
Yang concluded that the operation “highlights the commitment of the PNP ACG to safeguard the public against fraudulent online activities and illegal gambling operations. We will continue to intensify our efforts to detect and fight cyber-enabled illegal enterprises, especially those that deceive the public under the guise of legitimate promotional campaigns.”
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