Two top-level suspects who ran an illegal gambling site worth 5.3 trillion won were arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and extradited to Korea. One of them was found to have remained a fugitive overseas for more than 10 years. The other suspect is accused of mobilizing middle and high school students for illegal gambling operations.
According to the pan-government joint "transnational crime special response task force (TF)" on the 4th, top-level suspects A and B, who organized a criminal group and operated an illegal gambling site, were arrested locally through cooperation with UAE authorities and were extradited to Korea via Incheon Airport that day. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, National Intelligence Service, Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Korean National Police Agency, Korea Customs Service, National Tax Service, and Financial Services Commission took part in the extradition.
A is accused of running a gambling site worth about 4.8 trillion won based in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, and laundering criminal proceeds. After fleeing overseas in 2014, A was found to have evaded investigative tracking while moving between the Philippines, Malaysia, and Cambodia. After 12 years on the run, A was arrested in the UAE and extradited to Korea.
In running the illegal gambling site, A also faces allegations of tax evasion totaling 66 billion won. Allegations of providing and using drugs and of prostitution are also under investigation. The government also plans to investigate A's possible connection to the death of a Korean national in Malaysia in 2018.
B is accused of keeping members in Korea and mobilizing middle and high school students for illegal gambling operations. As a so-called "general distributor," B allegedly lured youths and used them to run the gambling site. The gambling site B operated was found to be worth about 500 billion won. The government says B used youths as tools for crime, fueling gambling addiction and the spread of youth crime.
The arrests and extraditions were carried out through international cooperation with UAE authorities. The TF has tracked the suspects' whereabouts through long-term intelligence analysis and has collected data on criminal proceeds and accomplice ties. Although it was difficult for Korean-flag airlines to operate locally due to the recent deterioration in the Middle East situation, the extradition went through after UAE authorities arranged transport using a local airline.
The government plans to expand its investigation into A and B's accomplices and similar cyber gambling rings that remained overseas for long periods while continuing their crimes. It also plans to pursue recovery of criminal proceeds and additional extradition procedures.