Philippines nabs dozens in 'sextortion' raids

Philippine police, backed by Interpol, have arrested dozens of suspected members of an online extortion syndicate who duped hundreds of victims worldwide into exposing themselves in front of webcams or engaging in lewd chats, including a Scottish teenager who committed suicide after being blackmailed, officials said on Friday.

At least 58 Filipino suspects in the capital, Manila, and three other regions were arrested this week after investigators from Interpol, the US Homeland Security Department and police from three other countries traced online chats from some of the victims' computers, Philippine National Police chief Allan Purisima said.

More than 260 desktop and laptop computers, mobile phones, pornographic materials and other pieces of evidence were seized during the raids by 15 police teams, he said at a news conference in Manila.