In a daring nighttime operation, an inter-agency task force, spearheaded by the Department of Justice (DOJ), stormed an Internet Gaming License (IGL) hub in Pasay City, uncovering a disturbing web of alleged human trafficking on the evening of October 27.

Armed with a court-issued search warrant, the operation targeted Smart Web Technology Corporation and involved a total of 731 Filipino and foreign workers, all of whom were subjected to questioning.

The task force was a collaboration between the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), and the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicolas Felix Ty shed light on the operation, explaining that it was conducted to enforce the search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 35 Judge Maricris Pahete-Felix. The warrant was sought on the grounds of alleged violations of Republic Act 9208, also known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking Persons Act.

“In particular, the crime that was found is sex trafficking based on the intelligence report,” stated Ty. He went on to reveal the shocking discoveries made during the raid, saying, “As you can see, there’s KTV, on other floors there are rooms for extra service. There’s even a menu of different sexual services.”

The law enforcement team’s search revealed an alleged prostitution den with a unique feature—an aquarium viewing chamber where seven Filipino women were allegedly trafficked. Additionally, the authorities apprehended nine executives who are suspected of being the operators and administrators of the self-sustaining IGL.

Ty disclosed that the offshore gaming firm operated under different names, namely Freego Computer Gaming OPC and Xushen Technology Corp, as indicated on licenses issued by government agencies. The hub was reportedly owned by Smart Web Technology Corporation under Nasdake Property Management.

During the operation, a Chinese national, Shui Nui, claimed to have been “kidnapped” from another IGL firm. Another Chinese national, Lu Hao Yu, was reportedly held captive for over a year and forced to work between 12 to 15 hours per day.

Smart Web Technology Corporation is the first provisional IGL that the inter-agency task force has targeted, and their investigation has uncovered a disturbing array of alleged criminal activities.

According to PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, these activities include prostitution, labor trafficking, and online crypto investment and love scams. Most of the individuals found within the building were of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino descent.

Cruz clarified that the name POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) had officially been changed to IGL (Internet Gaming License) by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

This name change applies to all offshore gaming companies. “We no longer have POGO. This is the first provisional IGL we have raided. When these gaming firms renew their license, they become IGL,” Cruz explained.