On July 4, two suspects involved in operating large illegal online casinos were extradited from the UAE to South Korea, according to Yonhap news agency.
The first suspect had been evading arrest for 12 years, hiding in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Cambodia while managing a website with a turnover of $3.14 billion from Southeast Asia. He faces charges of money laundering, tax evasion amounting to $43 million, drug use and distribution, as well as crimes related to prostitution. The names of the websites and the individuals involved have not been disclosed.
The second suspect managed a site with a turnover of $327 million and is alleged to have recruited high school students to work in his illegal gambling business. Both suspects were apprehended in the UAE with the assistance of local authorities and were flown to Incheon Airport by an Emirati airline, despite challenges in air travel due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The suspects could face up to five years in prison for organizing illegal gambling operations, along with additional sentences for charges related to money laundering, tax offenses, and drug crimes. Their procedural status upon arrival has not been clarified.