'Cambodian Crime Syndicate': 73 Koreans Forcibly Repatriated in Largest-Ever Operation

On the morning of January 23, 73 Korean members of criminal organizations involved in scams, hostage robberies, and other crimes in Cambodia were forcibly repatriated to Korea on a chartered flight.

National Police Agency

Korean Air flight KE9690, carrying these individuals, departed from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and landed at Incheon International Airport at approximately 9:41 a.m. on the same day. This marks the largest repatriation operation ever conducted from a single country.

Those subject to repatriation who already had arrest warrants issued against them were apprehended on board the aircraft as soon as they boarded. Under the Nationality Act, the interior of a Korean-registered aircraft is considered Korean territory, allowing the execution of arrest warrants.

The suspects are accused of defrauding approximately 48.6 billion won from 869 Korean victims. Seventy individuals face charges related to scam crimes such as romance scams and operating investment tip-off chat rooms, while three are charged with crimes including hostage robbery and gambling. Among them is a married couple who ran a romance scam syndicate, using deepfake technology to impersonate fictional characters and swindle around 12 billion won from 104 victims. They had previously evaded capture by altering their appearances through plastic surgery but were not included in the repatriation last October.

The repatriated group also includes those who impersonated investment experts to defraud about 19.4 billion won from young professionals and retirees. Additionally, fugitives who committed sex crimes against minors and fled to Cambodia to participate in scams, as well as gang members who held victims captive in scam compounds and extorted money from their families in Korea, were also repatriated.

By region, 51 were apprehended in Sihanoukville, 15 in Poipet near the Thai border, and 26 in Mondulkiri near the Vietnamese border. At least seven scam compounds have been identified. In these compounds, men in their twenties who had been detained and tortured were also rescued.