Nine South Korean nationals have been arrested in Paranaque City for allegedly engaging in online fraud, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday, June 26.
Those arrested last June 25 were identified by the BI as Park Kwangjun, Jeong Seongae, Kim Heejun, Bae Sehwan, Ryu Junsang, Kim Youngseop, Kwon Yeon Ji, Lee Hyunwoo, and Han Jaesong.
It said the South Koreans, with ages ranging from 29 to 31, were arrested during a joint operation conducted by the BI and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at a condominium unit in Paranaque City.
It also said the foreigners were “caught in the act of operating suspected scam platforms.”
The BI said the arrested foreigners were manning separate computer stations with pre-written scripts suspected to be used for fraudulent online lending transactions.
“According to a representative from the Korean government, the setup bore the hallmarks of an international online loan fraud operation targeting victims abroad,” it also said.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the BI is working in close coordination with local and international law enforcement agencies to ensure that the Philippines does not become a haven for cybercriminals.
“Foreign nationals found violating our laws—especially those involved in syndicated crime—will be located, apprehended, and deported without hesitation,” he warned.
Those arrested are now detained at the NBI’s Organized and Transnational Crime Division and will be turned over to the BI Warden Facility after processing.