Hesitated at Police Patrol... Wanted Operator of Illegal Gambling Site Caught at Checkpoint

by Lee Seryeong

Published 27 Aug.2025 12:45(KST)

Photo zone in front of the main building of Gyeongnam Police Agency. Photo by Lee Seryoung

A man in his 20s, who was on the wanted list for operating an illegal gambling website worth tens of billions of won, was apprehended by police during a patrol.

The Crime Response and Prevention Division of the Gyeongnam Police Agency announced on the 27th that on the 22nd, they had arrested a wanted criminal in his 20s, identified as A, on charges of establishing and operating gambling venues.

At the time, the Gyeongnam Police Mobile Patrol Unit was conducting patrols to prevent relationship-based crimes and enforce basic order on the road in Haeun-dong, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon City, when they noticed a vehicle hesitating upon seeing the patrolling officers.

Finding this suspicious, the officers immediately guided the vehicle to a safe location and stopped it for inspection.

The driver refused to present his license when requested by the police, so the officers checked the vehicle registration and confirmed that the owner and the driver were not the same person.

Six officers on duty then surrounded the vehicle to block any escape routes and ordered the driver to step out of the car.

After persistent questioning, the police confirmed that the driver was A, a repeat offender with three previous convictions, who had been on the wanted list for operating an illegal online gambling site worth tens of billions of won. An arrest warrant had been issued by the Busan Police Agency two months earlier.

The police apprehended A at the scene and handed him over to the relevant investigative agency.

A representative from the Gyeongnam Police Agency stated, "Thanks to the proactive patrols by the Mobile Patrol Unit, we were able to apprehend a wanted criminal and prevent the case from becoming a long-term unresolved incident. We will continue to prioritize the safety of citizens and strengthen our crime prevention activities."