Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested four Korean citizens on Friday inside a rented condominium in Brgy. Lahug, Cebu City.

A search warrant led to the arrest of Taewong Kang, Jung Ho Won, Kim Dae Hyeon, and Park Ji Sung.

They were charged with violating RA 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act.

The suspects were being monitored since February for their alleged involvement in illegal online operations, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Lapu-Lapu head Police Capt. Nigel Sanoy said.

“They have online gaming, dating sites, hacking of bank accounts. They also create applications where they ask you to invest and when you give a big amount of money, they shut it down and you can’t take it back,” said Sanoy in Cebuano dialect.

He said they are possibly responsible for random text messages sent to Cebuanos posing as bank personnel where they ask for details or send a link to redirect it to their illegal website.

Seized from the Koreans were 18 computer units including monitors, Wi-fi routers, one-time password generators, SIM cards, cellphones and memory cards.

Sanoy said their investigation also showed that these individuals have been allegedly illegally operating for about two to three years in Cebu.

“They can’t do it in Korea because cybersecurity is so strict there. They are not really a syndicate but individuals who want to sustain their lifestyle,” added Sanoy.

They are also looking into Filipina assistants who are reportedly going in and out of the condominium as accessory to the crimes committed. – Report from Annie Perez