In a significant crackdown on mobile phone scams, authorities in Manila arrested Thiang Choon Wee, a Malaysian national believed to be the head of a syndicate supplying rogue cell towers. The arrest took place during a coordinated operation in Parañaque City on January 21, 2025. Thiang is accused of providing International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers, devices that mimic legitimate cell towers to intercept and track mobile communications.
Alexander Ramos, Executive Director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), emphasized the government’s resolve to combat foreign scammers. ‘The Filipino government and its people will not tolerate being manipulated by foreign scammers. We will fight back,’ he declared during a press conference.
IMSI catchers, also known as stingrays or fake cell towers, are used to capture IMSI numbers from nearby mobile phones. These numbers enable scammers to monitor the location, intercept messages, calls, and data traffic of targeted devices. The CICC had been tracking the supplier since October of the previous year, patiently waiting for the right moment to execute their operation.
The arrest was a result of a joint effort involving the CICC, the Philippine National Police – Anti Cybercrime Group, the Bureau of Immigration, and the National Telecommunications Commission. This operation underscores the Philippines’ commitment to tackling cybercrime and protecting its citizens from sophisticated scams.