The National Police Agency announced on June 28 that it had forcibly extradited the ringleader of an investment lead chatroom scam organization, who had fled to the Philippines with approximately 11.1 billion won.
The suspect, identified as Mr. A, is accused of organizing a criminal group with 31 accomplices (29 of whom have been apprehended) both in South Korea and abroad since January 2023, impersonating investment experts, and defrauding 199 victims of about 11.1 billion won.
A joint task force between South Korea and the Philippines gathered intelligence from all directions and identified Mr. A's suspected hideout. In November of last year, they raided the location and arrested five individuals. Of these, two were forcibly extradited to South Korea in February and March, respectively, while two others are currently awaiting deportation at a detention center run by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration.
Initially, Mr. A was scheduled to be extradited via Incheon Airport on June 27. However, the day before his deportation, he filed a petition for a review of the deportation decision against the Philippine Bureau of Immigration through his local attorney. This appeal was dismissed, and through close cooperation, re-approval of the deportation was expedited.
An official from the National Police Agency stated, "This extradition is an exemplary case achieved through the collaboration of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, and the Korean Desk. We will continue to pool our domestic and international cooperation capabilities to respond comprehensively, with the goal of building a just society safe from crime and establishing international public order."
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