The Bureau of Immigration has arrested three of South Korea’s most wanted fugitives who were tagged as leaders of a big-time syndicate that operated an online scam that victimized thousands of their compatriots.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the three were arrested in operations conducted in Parañaque City and Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Major Crimes Investigation Unit.
They were identified as Jung Myunghun, allegedly the syndicate’s top leader; Yu Daewoong and Kang Wesung, also a leader of the group.
Morente described the three Koreans as high-profile fugitives long sought by Korean authorities and by the Interpol.
According to BI FSU Chief Bobby Raquepo, Korean authorities sought the assistance of BI in locating and arresting the trio.
Criminal records show that since July 2014, the suspects had perpetrated an online scam by uploading and advertising items on online second-hand markets, duping victims into purchasing products which turned out to be non-existent.
Korean authorities uncovered thousands of cases—almost 2,600—wherein victims had been defrauded by the suspects. It is estimated that the victims incurred a combined loss of more than 10 billion won or close to US$9 million from the syndicate’s racket.
It was learned that the warrants for the suspects’ arrest were issued in August last year by the Jeju district court in Korea. If convicted, they could be sentenced to a maximum jail term of 30 years for violating their country’s law against economic crimes. Vito Barcelo
Their passports have likewise been revoked by Korean authorities, making them undocumented aliens.
“They will be deported to face the cases against them in Korea, and their names shall likewise remain in our blacklist, which effectively bans their re-entry in the country,” the BI chief said.
All three Koreans are temporarily detained at the CIDG headquarters pending the results of their COVID-19 swab tests. Vito Barcelo
