Police Launch 3-Month 'Major International Crime Crackdown'... "Active Response to Foreign Organized Crime"

14,977 Arrested in the First Half of This Year
Nearly Half Are Chinese Nationals
Violent and Assault Crimes Decrease, Drug and Intelligent Crimes Increase

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters (NIH) announced on the 1st that it will conduct an intensive crackdown on major international crimes for three months from this month until the end of October.

According to the police, the total number of foreign suspects last year was 39,139. From January to June this year, 14,977 were also apprehended by the police. Among the foreign nationals arrested this year, Chinese accounted for the largest number with 7,354 (49.1%), followed by Vietnamese 1,398, Thai 1,154, American 618, and Russian 589.

The police noted that although the proportion of violent and assault crimes decreased due to environmental changes such as the recent spread of COVID-19 and the decrease in foreign residents, the proportion of drug and intelligent crimes increased. In consideration of this, they conducted an "Intensive Crackdown on Organized Foreign Crimes" in the first half of the year. Through this, five foreign criminal organizations and 133 members (66 detained) were arrested.

Since it has been confirmed that foreign crimes tend to be somewhat organized, the police plan to block the inflow of overseas criminal organizations into the country and suppress the criminal forces and collectivization of foreign residents in the second half of the year as well.

The key targets of the crackdown are organized foreign gangs that economically exploit foreign residents through protection money extortion around their compatriots' businesses, unregistered lending and loan sharking, organizations operating illegal markets such as drugs and gambling to expand their influence and secure funding, organizations involved in illegal foreign exchange transactions and overseas transfer of criminal proceeds using virtual currencies, immigration offenders, and other organized international crimes linked with domestic and foreign organizations.

In particular, if major foreign crimes such as group violence involving foreigners occur, special investigation teams centered on city and provincial police agencies will be formed to actively respond from the early stages of the incident. After arrests, the police plan to analyze the involvement of overseas criminal organizations, motives such as disputes over interests and power struggles between organizations, and expand investigations not only to the masterminds but also to related domestic organizations.

Furthermore, the police will apply for seizure and confiscation preservation before prosecution regarding the organization's funding sources, block the overseas transfer of criminal proceeds, and simultaneously recover them. Through international cooperation with Interpol, they will identify the actual entities of overseas organizations and strongly respond to organized international crimes by arresting the ringleaders.