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The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Tuesday declared victory against an international swindling syndicate following the filing of criminal charges against its leaders and members, including foreigners.

Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr., CIDG chief, cited the close coordination between the CIDG and the Anti-Money Laundering Council that led to the busting of an international swindling syndicating preying on foreign companies scouting for metal scraps.

Through efforts under the CIDG’s Case Operation Plan: Tradebay, Pagdilao said government authorities established the existence of a syndicate duping foreign companies by offering tons of metal scraps.

He said authorities were able to identify the personalities involved.

According to Pagdilao, the syndicate is headed by Ah Chai Teo, and Chen Qwee Khai, both Singaporeans; Huang Chen, a Taiwanese; Lim Hoi Chung, from Hong Kong, and Chen Zhi Quiang, a Chinese national.

The CIDG identified the foreigners’ local cohorts as Romy Flores, Guerrero Villacorta, a retired policeman; Mary Ann Vasquez-Basan, Janet Villareal, and Pacido Ramos.

”It is worthy to mention that the conceptualization by this Group of Coplan: Tradebay was aimed at destabilizing and neutralizing the international organized crime group and not in mulcting or kidnapping its members for monetary consideration,” said Pagdilao.

”The successful joint CIDG and AMLC’s investigations have shown that the OCG actually existed and that it had victimized foreign traders with impunity,” added Pagdilao.

Pagdilao said the filing of syndicated and large-scale estafa charges against Teo’s group and the subsequent freezing of the numerous bank accounts under their names only showed that the CIDG and AMLC were successful in its mission of neutralizing the syndicate.

Pagdilao said the group’s modus operandi is to offer huge amount of metal scraps to foreign buyers but to later replace the scrap metal with garbage, rocks and concrete while being shipped.

The CIDG estimated that Teo’s group has swindled millions of US dollars from unsuspecting foreign buyers.

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