Even middle school students are mobilized for gambling operations... “We will attack the entire criminal ecosystem.”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ji-eun Han = The head and deputy head of an illegal gambling site who laundered their identities with third-country passports and enjoyed a luxurious life overseas, including luxury shopping, were arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Those suspected of running a gambling site worth 2.6 trillion won were arrested 10 years after fleeing overseas in 2016. The deputy governor was repatriated to Korea.
The pan-government 'Transnational Crime Special Response Task Force' announced that it had cooperated with the UAE authorities to arrest Mr. A, the head of an illegal gambling site, and Mr. B, the deputy head of the illegal gambling site, and repatriate Mr. B to Korea through Incheon International Airport on the 14th.
Mr. A plans to be repatriated to Korea as soon as possible after consultation with the UAE authorities.
Mr. A and Mr. B are suspected of operating illegal gambling sites in the Philippines and Malaysia and laundering large-scale criminal proceeds.
After fleeing overseas, they laundered their identities using passports from third countries and continued their life as fugitives in places such as Malaysia.
Afterwards, it was discovered that he moved to the UAE and changed his residence several times to avoid being tracked by investigative authorities.
While on the run, images of him enjoying a luxurious life, such as inviting domestic celebrities to the local area, using high-end restaurants and entertainment establishments, and purchasing expensive luxury goods, were also revealed online.
In 2016, 'BetEast', a sports gambling site illegal under domestic law, was advertised on overseas soccer team uniforms and stadiums.
Separately from this organization, Mr. C, the developer of a 500 billion won cyber gambling organization, was also arrested in this joint operation and repatriated to Korea along with Mr. B.
Mr. C is a member of an organization whose leader was arrested in the UAE last July and repatriated to Korea, and was found to be in charge of program development and operation of an illegal gambling site.
The size of the site operations of the two gambling organizations involved in the three people arrested this time was estimated to be worth a total of 3.1 trillion won.
The government determined that these organizations caused youth gambling addiction and encouraged the spread of crime by luring middle school students and using them to engage in illegal gambling operations.
Relevant agencies, including the police and the National Intelligence Service, tracked overseas intelligence and investigative clues to determine that key suspects had moved to the UAE, then shared the information with UAE authorities and promoted joint operation 'HALAK'. The name of the operation means ‘destruction/destruction’ in Arabic.
The two countries shared the whereabouts and movements of the suspects in real time, and UAE authorities conducted a local arrest operation and secured their arrest.
The government said, "We plan to continue to track and arrest cyber organizations based overseas, centered on the Transnational Crime Special Response Task Force, and strike the entire criminal ecosystem, including illegal gambling site operation organizations and money laundering networks."
