166 foreign nationals rescued in Pasay parcel scam hub raid
Authorities rescued 166 foreign nationals from an alleged international parcel scam hub in Pasay City, uncovering a cyber-fraud and suspected forced labor operation.
CIDG
Around 166 foreign nationals allegedly involved in an international parcel fraud network were rescued during the dismantling of a “parcel scam hub” inside KE Tower Building C at No. 160 Cuneta Avenue, Pasay City, on 3 November 2026.
The raid resulted in the rescue and profiling of 166 foreign nationals allegedly coerced into cyber-fraud operations. They comprised 138 Indonesians, 16 Vietnamese, 10 Chinese and two Malaysians.
According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the law enforcement operation was led by the CIDG National Capital Region Field Unit alongside the PNP Intelligence Group, in close coordination with the Southern Police District (SPD) and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia.
The CIDG said the operation stemmed from complaints filed by three Indonesian nationals who were allegedly lured to the Philippines by an online gambling syndicate run by Indonesian citizens under the false promise of legitimate employment as “virtual assistants.”
The three Indonesians said that upon arriving in the country, three Chinese nationals and one Indonesian national operating the “parcel scam hub” immediately confiscated their passports and placed them under surveillance.
They were allegedly subjected to severe forced labor conditions and illegal detention, and were coerced into working as digital delivery system manipulators and parcel scam operators.
Initial investigations revealed that the facility served as a front for an international parcel fraud network targeting victims worldwide through a four-phase scheme.
In the first phase, a scammer contacts a victim while posing as a representative of a courier or shipping company, claiming that a package is being delivered to the victim's address.
In the second phase, another scammer, posing as an Indonesian police officer, contacts the victim and claims that the courier has intercepted a package containing illegal drugs allegedly linked to the victim.
The syndicate reportedly went as far as constructing a replica Indonesian police station inside the Pasay hub, complete with law enforcement uniforms and fake interrogation rooms. It also used live video feeds to convince victims that they were facing an imminent criminal investigation.
In the third phase, another scammer posing as a high-ranking police chief intervenes and offers a supposedly peaceful resolution, claiming that the victim must secure their “compromised” funds as part of a routine financial investigation.
The fake police chief then instructs the victim to transfer money to a designated account for “safekeeping,” even issuing forged warranty documents. Once the funds are transferred, accomplices allegedly withdraw or launder the money.
Detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the full global reach of the syndicate's operations and file appropriate criminal charges against those involved.
The CIDG assured the public that the Philippine National Police would not allow the country to become a haven for criminal syndicates that violate human rights and dignity.
It added that the crackdown aligns with the national directive to eliminate illegal fronts and dismantle human trafficking networks involved in cyber-scams.