BACOLOD CITY – Two Malaysians were arrested and eight Filipinos were rescued from an alleged love scam operation in Barangay Singcang-Airport here on Thursday, March 27.
POLICE apprehend two Malaysians for human trafficking in a raid in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City on Thursday, March 27. (Photo via CIDG-Bacolod)
Police Major Justin Noel Josol, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bacolod, said the raid was conducted through search warrants at the rented house of the two foreign nationals in Barangay Singcang-Airport and Barangay Handumanan here.
Josol said they received a complaint that the suspects allegedly offered their victims aged 25 to 30 to be models and their photos were sent to foreign clients to be used for a love scam operation.
Police said it took them months to validate the information.
Josol said one of the suspects has been staying in this city for more than a year and both of them had expired visas.
He said that the suspects allegedly recruit their potential victims online and offered them fake job offers.
“They’re trying to deceive their victims by offering legitimate work, but turned out to be illegal,” he added.
The victims were not well compensated and forced to work, with penalties if they cannot reach a quota, he said.
Seized from the suspects were laptops and other equipment used in their operations.
Josol said suspects face charges for human trafficking and further investigation. He urged other victims to appear and file cases against the suspects.