Police Apprehend Ringleaders of Two Scam Organizations Based in Cambodia and Thailand

The National Police Agency announced on December 5 that it had apprehended the ringleaders and a large number of members from two scam crime organizations based in Cambodia and Thailand.

National Police Agency

In a press release on the same day, the National Police Agency stated, "Through the first global joint operation, we have arrested 28 members of two criminal organizations, including their ringleaders."

The Cambodia-based criminal group that was apprehended is accused of defrauding 27 victims of a total of approximately 2.589 billion won by pretending to offer matchmaking services for women and collecting membership fees and other charges.

The National Police Agency requested an operation to apprehend the scam organizations during the global operations meeting held in Seoul on November 11-12. Preparations for the arrests were made through the Cambodia Korea Task Force. As a result, 15 members, including the ringleader of the criminal group, were arrested the previous day in Poipet, Cambodia, an area near the Thai border where such organizations are concentrated.

The suspects involved in the Thailand-based telephone financial fraud organization are accused of impersonating investigative authorities since September of last year and defrauding victims of approximately 100 million won. They are also charged with posing as investigators to female victims and demanding nude videos under the pretense of conducting body searches related to arrest warrants.

Since October, the National Police Agency, together with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Financial Crime Investigation Unit, has been continuously gathering leads to track down the organization members. The agency also developed a detailed operation plan in cooperation with Thai authorities. The two countries conducted a raid on an office in Bangkok the previous day, arresting 13 members of the organization.

An official from the National Police Agency stated, "Through close cooperation between dispatched police personnel and overseas law enforcement agencies, we will take the lead in eradicating international organized crimes such as online scams and voice phishing."