As Social Distancing Ends, Illegal Gambling and Prostitution Surge... 191 People Caught in 3 Months

Intensive Crackdown from March... 23 Large Establishments Caught
One Sex Trade Massage Parlor Earned 24.1 Billion Won Over 9 Years

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and the Seoul Autonomous Police Committee announced on the 15th that they have arrested a total of 191 people and detained 6 in custody through intensive crackdowns on organized prostitution establishments and illegal game rooms following the easing of social distancing measures.

The police anticipated an increase in vice crimes as the ban on gatherings was lifted due to the decrease in COVID-19 cases. From March 1 to May 31, a three-month period, they focused on cracking down on large illegal establishments, uncovering 14 prostitution establishments and 9 illegal game rooms.

Through the prostitution establishment crackdown, the police detained 6 people including owner A, and booked 151 others including other owners and brokers without detention.

According to the police, A operated a large-scale massage parlor spanning from the basement level 1 to the 5th floor above ground. He is suspected of facilitating prostitution to customers who visited after seeing online prostitution advertisements, accumulating approximately 24.1 billion KRW in criminal proceeds over about 9 years. It was also found that A had operated the business for a long time by appointing 10 visually impaired individuals as 'pants owners' (nominal owners).

The police obtained a court order for seizure and confiscation preservation on assets worth a total of 42.3 billion KRW, including the massage parlor building valued at 18.1 billion KRW and criminal proceeds of 24.1 billion KRW, to prevent A from disposing of his property and criminal gains. This is the largest amount ever recorded in seizure and confiscation preservation cases related to prostitution crimes.

In the crackdown on illegal game rooms, a total of 34 people including owner B were booked. B is suspected of operating illegal game rooms by installing 87 so-called 'Pachinko' game machines in four areas: Seocho and Gangdong districts in Seoul, Namdong district in Incheon, and Seongnam city in Gyeonggi Province.

The police plan to notify the National Tax Service of the tax data of the detected establishments and recover criminal proceeds through pre-indictment seizure and preservation measures. They also plan to strengthen crackdowns on prostitution advertisements using online platforms.

Kim Kwang-ho, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated, "We will continue to crack down on illegal establishments that are becoming more covert and sophisticated," and urged, "We ask citizens to participate in creating a healthy social atmosphere."