THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 arrested six Korean nationals for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling business in Cabancalan, Mandaue City.
They were identified as Choi Jun Lee, Kim Jim Ho, Kim Tea Sick, Kang Dae Yeop, Kim Chi Min and Joe Seong Woon.
No license
The suspects, according to the Special Agent Arnel Pura of the NBI 7, failed to secure a license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).
"We caught them last Wednesday after our informants told us of this big-time online illegal gambling business that they were operating," Pura told VoxPop Cebu.
Agents seized central processing units, monitors, internet gadgets and supporting tools, among others, from the suspects' house last Wednesday.
The search warrant was issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 5 Judge Ricky Jones Macabaya.
Pura said the foreigners' illegal operation started last January.
"They are earning out of this because they can afford paying P100,000 per month to rent a big house. But for your online gambling business to be accredited by Pagcor, you need to have a capital of P50 million," Pura said.
Pagcor is a government-owned and -controlled corporation that regulates online gaming operation.
Pura said that 13 Korean nationals live in the house but only six were caught in the act operating the computers.
The seven others are in the custody of the Bureau of Immigration 7, which is conducting a background check on them.
"The BID 7 will check if they have any derogatory records in their country," Pura said.
The six are undergoing inquest investigation in the Mandaue City Prosecutor's Office for violating Section 6 of Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, in relation to Presidential Decree 1602, or the law on illegal gambling.
Pura said the six may be deported and may be blacklisted to prevent them from returning to the country.