Gang Arrested for Manufacturing Illegal Cigarettes Worth 1.3 Billion KRW in Daerim-dong, Seoul

Suspected Violations Including Tobacco Business Act

A group operating an illegal cigarette manufacturing factory in the Daerim-dong area of Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, was arrested by the police.

Items are being packed at an illegal cigarette manufacturing factory in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency]

On the 16th, the Mobile Patrol Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that they had arrested eight people, including a Chinese national named A, who operated an illegal cigarette manufacturing factory in Daerim-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on charges of violating the Tobacco Business Act. Among the eight arrested, four, including A and three employees, were identified as illegal immigrants. All eight arrested were Chinese women.

According to the police investigation, they had been manufacturing illegal cigarettes for at least about one year, with the scale estimated at approximately 1.3 billion KRW in market value. The manufactured products were distributed to areas in the metropolitan region with high demand from foreigners, according to the police.

The police stated, "While patrolling the Daerim-dong area last September, we received a tip from residents that 'illegal cigarettes were being manufactured at two factories in the Daerim-dong area,' and began an investigation. Subsequently, on the 12th of this month, we raided the site, apprehended eight people including the team leader, and seized illegal cigarettes and cigarette manufacturing materials worth about 50 million KRW. Based on the tip that 'there are two cigarette manufacturing factories,' we also uncovered a second factory located about 180 meters from the first factory."

A police official urged, "Illegal cigarette manufacturing materials do not include health warning labels or information on major ingredient contents and may contain unverified harmful substances to the human body, so they should never be purchased. We ask for active reporting if such products are found."