A 34-year-old Chinese national with suspected links to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities was arrested by Bureau of Immigration (BI) operatives along Yulo Street in Barangay 16 on August 6.
The suspect, identified as Xie Yingwen, was apprehended in a joint operation involving BI intelligence agents, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and Bacolod City Police Station 1.
The arrest was executed under a mission order issued by BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado following intelligence reports from government sources.
Upon apprehension outside a residential area, Xie failed to present any valid identification documents.
Subsequent verification revealed he had failed to extend his visa, making him an overstaying foreign national.
While Xie claimed he previously worked in Manila as a food and fruit vendor, immigration authorities tagged him as an undesirable alien due to his alleged connection to online gaming operations.
BI Commissioner Viado noted that the operation aligns with national directives to crack down on illegal foreign nationals and highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation beyond Metro Manila.
Xie was transferred to the BI Holding Facility in Bicutan, Taguig, where he remains in custody pending deportation proceedings.
