Operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation’s Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD) apprehended at least seven Chinese nationals in Parañaque and Quezon City for credit card fraud and attempting to bribe NBI agents.

The NBI-CCD nabbed the suspects following complaints from victims of vishing, smishing, phishing and other online scams according to NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago.

He narrated that a transnational organized crime group was allegedly cashing out money using stolen credit card information and explained that to speed up the process, the group needed point-of-sale devices and offered accomplices 20 percent. of the proceeds.

Reports said that undercover NBI agents posed as individuals with POS devices and set up an entrapment operation on 27 July in Parañaque City, arresting two Chinese nationals identified as Sun Jie and Lee Ching Ho.

Investigations showed that Sun Jie allegedly offered NBI agents P1.5 million to release him and drop the charges. The agents agreed and set up another entrapment operation in Quezon City, where they arrested five more Chinese nationals, Jenny Pan, Zhao Zheng, Dong Jianhua, Yuan Bien and Shao Wen Hu, who brought the money.

Santiago disclosed that agents also found three handguns and a military-grade smoke grenade in the suspects’ vehicles.

Sun Jie and Lee Ching Ho face charges of violating Section 3(s) of RA 11449 (Access Devices Regulation Act) and Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code (Corruption of Public Officials), while Jenny Pan, Zhao Zheng, Dong Jianhua, Yuan Bien, and Shao Wen Hu were charged with Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearm and Ammunition Act).