MANILA, Philippines — Five Korean fugitives have been arrested in Muntinlupa for allegedly running a large-scale fraud ring, which operates a bogus cryptocurrency website.
Hundreds of victims have reportedly been lured into investing over four billion won or about $2.9 million in cryptocurrency since last year.
Ha Doogyun, 25; Kim Jung Ho, 25; Lee Sunyeob, 25; Kim Taemin, 26, and Yun Songwook, 22, were apprehended on Nov. 16 in their Alabang residence.
The South Korean government sought the Bureau of Immigration’s help in deporting the suspects, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
An Interpol red notice was issued against the suspects after they were charged with fraud before a district court in Seoul. The court issued an arrest warrant on Sept. 14.
The BI also arrested Korean fugitive Park Sukil in Pasay on Nov. 15.
Park, 57, allegedly committed larceny after stealing construction materials worth more than 2.2 million won or roughly $1,576.
A deportation order was issued against Park in February 2015 for being an undesirable alien, Viado noted.
The six Koreans are being held at the BI detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
Meanwhile, an Indonesian suspected to be a drug courier was denied entry at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
Muhammad Nur, 49, was sent back to his port of origin in Bangkok after arriving on Nov. 27 on an AirAsia flight.
The Interpol had flagged Nur after Lao authorities reported illegal drugs concealed in his luggage during inspection. The drugs were later found after he departed Bangkok for Manila.bet88