Jeonnam Police Arrest Arab Voice Phishing Organization Members

Staff Member Buys and Smokes Marijuana Along with Luxury Imported Cars

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] On the 13th, Jeonnam police announced that they had persistently tracked seven illegal foreign residents, including Mr. A of Egyptian nationality, for a year and arrested them nationwide, including in Dongducheon. Among them, three were detained (two were not detained), one was deported, and an arrest warrant was issued for the overseas mastermind Mr. B, who fled, and he is being tracked through international cooperation.

They are suspected of impersonating financial institution employees around October 2021 and embezzling about 30 million won from victims under the pretense of refinancing loans at low interest rates.

The suspects, including Mr. A, are mostly illegal foreign residents of Egyptian nationality who entered on tourist visas to escape political turmoil in Egypt, applied for refugee status to extend their stay, and after the period ended, remained illegally.

They had an overseas mastermind and played roles such as account recruiters, withdrawers, and couriers, buying accounts used for crimes from foreigners at 1.5 million won each and providing them to accomplices overseas.

The embezzled funds deposited into these accounts were withdrawn and sent abroad mixed with payments for exported goods using a so-called hawala method, delivered to overseas merchant ships. It was confirmed that they lived a luxurious life, purchasing and driving high-end imported cars with the profits.

Mr. A, the domestic account recruiter, lured Egyptians to participate in the crime by showing them bundles of cash and photos of luxury cars obtained through the crime. Mr. C, a South African who was the domestic recruitment mastermind, is suspected of ultimately receiving and handling the victim’s money from these Egyptian group members.

Additionally, the police confirmed that two of the arrested group members smoked synthetic marijuana. They tracked three foreign sellers from Tunisia, Vietnam, and Egypt who sequentially sold marijuana to them. Among them, an Egyptian seller attempting to flee overseas through Incheon International Airport was caught just before departure. Three more suspects were arrested, two of whom were detained.

Mr. C, a Vietnamese marijuana seller who was arrested, was found to have seen an advertisement on a Google site selling synthetic marijuana oil. Using the Vietnamese chat app ‘Zalo (ZELLO),’ he imported 7 liters of marijuana oil (worth about 17.5 million won) hidden in shampoo bottles via international courier, then divided it into small quantities and resold it to foreigners in Korea, including voice phishing gang members.

An official from the Jeonnam Police Agency’s Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Division 2 said, “It was very difficult to track and arrest illegal foreign suspects residing in Korea because their residences were unstable and it was hard to find traces of their lives.”

Jeonnam police warned, “Voice phishing crime organizations are expected to increase crimes using the method of converting existing loan products into low-interest products targeting ordinary people, exploiting the rising domestic interest rates. If you receive such contact, first suspect it as a voice phishing crime and pay special attention to whether the account name to which you are transferring money is foreign, or under a limited company or corporation name.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.