Rogue cell tower supplier netted

Police on Tuesday apprehended a Malaysian national who is allegedly heading a syndicate that supplies rogue cell towers used in text scams in the Philippines.

According to Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) executive director Alexander Ramos, the Malaysian was identified as Thiang Choon Wee, who is allegedly the leader of a syndicate that supplies International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers.

“The Filipino government and its people are not going to let foreign scammers play us. We are going to fight,” Ramos said in a briefing.

An IMSI catcher, also known as a rogue or fake cell tower, “stingray,” cell site simulator, or drop box, is an electronic device that tracks and intercepts mobile phone communications.

The CICC began monitoring the IMSI supplier in October last year.

“We patiently waited for the big fish to surface before we conducted the operation,” Ramos said.

Authorities narrated that the suspect was arrested in a joint operation conducted by the CICC, Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group, the Bureau of Immigration and the National Telecommunications Commission.