CEBU CITY – Elements of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 and Taiwan police have busted what it described as an extortion syndicate by arresting 24 Taiwanese nationals in Buena Hills, Barangay Guadalupe, Monday afternoon.
The suspects were allegedly involved in extortion activities that victimized fellow Taiwanese and based their operations in the Philippines to avoid arrests.
The group’s modus is to inform retired Taiwanese officials of supposed pending cases which they would be able to settle for a certain amount.
NBI agents and Taiwanese police, armed with a search warrant, barged into the rented house of the suspects which led to the arrest of the 24 Taiwanese nationals.
Discovered inside the house were several telephone units, documents, mobile phones, computers, and other communication equipment.
It was not the first time that Taiwanese nationals involved in extortion activities were arrested in Cebu. Last year, 43 Taiwanese and 25 Chinese were arrested in different houses in Cebu City for similar illegal activities.
(Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.)
