Philippine officials detain over 160 for suspected cybercrime operation

Philippine authorities raided a suspected illegal online gaming and cyberscam complex in a central province and took into custody more than 160 people mostly Chinese and Indonesians who were committing internet-based crimes, officials said Sunday.

The raid on Saturday by more than 100 government agents, backed by military intelligence, on a resort compound in Lapu-Lapu city was part of an ongoing crackdown after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered a ban in July on widespread and mostly Chinese-run online gaming operations that cater mostly to clients in China, where illegal gambling is banned.