81 Victims, Embezzlement of Over 1.1 Billion KRW
Distribution of Methamphetamine, Ketamine, and Others Worth About 2.9 Billion KRW
A gang involved in drug distribution and voice phishing crimes in South Korea has been arrested by the police.
On the 29th, the Dongdaemun Police Station in Seoul announced that they had arrested 27 people, including Park (in his 30s), the domestic ringleader, on charges of organizing and participating in a criminal group, fraud, and violations of the Narcotics Control Act, among others. Park committed the crimes under the instructions of Kim (in his 30s), the overseas ringleader based in the Philippines.
Since around May of last year, they organized a criminal group involved in voice phishing and drug distribution, installing and managing 580 relay devices that altered overseas caller IDs to domestic numbers. They impersonated investigative agencies and other authorities to defraud 81 victims of over 1.1 billion KRW.
They distributed and sold drugs through unmanned parcel lockers and fire hydrants in areas such as Seoul and Incheon. The police searched about 200 locations and seized drugs worth approximately 980 million KRW, including 860g of methamphetamine, 1,193g of ketamine, and 252 ecstasy pills.
The police are proceeding with a pre-indictment seizure application on Park’s accounts to confiscate the proceeds obtained through the crimes and to facilitate the actual recovery of damages for the voice phishing victims. Additionally, they plan to conduct an international joint investigation regarding Kim.
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