12 persons arrested for ‘illegal’ acquisition of SIM cards with e-wallet accounts – NBI
A Malaysian and 11 Filipinos have been arrested in Manila for alleged illegal acquisition of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards with ewallet accounts for use by online casino loaders.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Nov. 19, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified those arrested as Malaysian Lau Wen Xiang and Filipinos Aldwin Villena Canon, RJ Vincnet Abdulhamid, Alkhaizar Sahali Jambiran, Rayan Panayam Aposol, Aira May Sahali Jambiran, Sherwin Dave Cahanap Cruz, Kier John Salazar Parong, Jasper Philander Viscayno, Datu Jonathan Tasil Mama, Jonalou Tayomora Salazar, and Almoner Ladjahali Ladja.
The NBI said they were arrested in a building in Manila during an operation conducted by operatives of the NBI’S Anti-organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) last Nov. 10.
It said that seized inside the building were 13 units of desktop computers, 40 pieces of Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) modems used as text blasters, 57 mobile phones, a laptop, a monitor, and approximately 50,000 pieces of SIM cards.
Those arrested were charged before the Manila City Prosecutor's Office with violations of Section 9 (c), (d), and (e) of Republic Act (RA) 8484, the Access Devices Act of 1998; illegal access and computer-related forgery under Section 4(a)(1) and 4(b)(1)(i), respectively, of RA 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012; and Section 11(e) of RA 11934, the SIM Card Registration Act of 2020.
The NBI said the operation was conducted based on information from a complainant who disclosed that “certain individuals from a Facebook group were looking for e-wallet account holders that have a verified account status and with Ö ͊˔ˏˏ̇ˏˏˏ ĶĢĿĢŶ ƒğŋ Öũā ƒģķķģłė Ŷŋ have their accounts ‘rented.’”
“Complainant also revealed that the (e-wallet) accounts would no longer be used by the account holders but would be given to the said individuals as casino loaders,” it said.
“The owners of the SIM cards ƒāũā ŋĕĕāũāù ͊ˑ̇ˏˏˏ Öŭ ŤÖƘĿĀŁŶ Öłù ͊ˑ̇ˏˏˏ ĕŋũ ŶĞĀ ŭžóóāāùģłė Ŀŋłŷğŭ Öŭ rental fee,” it added.
Prior to the operation, the NBI said that the complainant was asked to act as a “poseur SIM card owner who’s willing to let her SIM card rented by the syndicate.”
It said a delivery rider, who was asked to cooperate in the NBI-AOTCD operation, delivered the SIM card to Paranaque City where the package was picked up by a woman who told agents she was only instructed to receive SIM cards and send it to their boss in Manila.