South Korea police recently broke up an international online gambling network that enticed players with illegal pornography, including images and videos exploiting minors.
The Korean National Police Agency, with help from Europol and the US Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a Korean man at Incheon International Airport when he returned from the Philippines on Aug. 2. The suspect is accused of participating in an extensive network of illegal online gambling and pornography websites.
The Korea National Office of Investigation alleges in court documents that the man, along with two fugitive accomplices and another man apprehended in Seoul, used child sexual abuse material to draw visitors to the websites. Once on the websites, visitors were directed to online gambling sites associated with the criminal operation.
It is reported that the pornography websites had pop-up ads and sidebar links guiding users to the gambling sites, where they could access additional illicit content.
Linking Pornography to Gambling
South Korean authorities claim that the Korean suspects, aged 36 and 40, collaborated with two Filipinos, aged 53 and 54, to manage the illegal online enterprises. It was found that the criminal operation was based in Pasay City, Philippines.
Following complaints regarding the pornography websites featuring minors and promoting illegal online casinos, an investigation was launched. Two of the websites contained over 116,000 videos, 2.85 million registered accounts, and more than 5.35 billion views.
The child pornography websites were used to funnel players to the illegal gambling platforms. Police disclosed that the gambling sites processed 4.7 trillion won (US$3.32 billion) in bets, resulting in approximately $33.6 million in revenue for the perpetrators.
The organization reportedly linked two pornography sites to at least 18 gambling platforms.
“The Korean National Police Agency has gathered and analyzed information pertaining to the distribution of sexual exploitation materials domestically and internationally. The agency is currently conducting investigations by tracing leads, identifying suspects, and gathering evidence,” according to a statement from the national law enforcement agency.
Interpol has issued Red Notices for the Filipino suspects and 10 other individuals suspected of involvement in the global scheme.
A Red Notice is a request for law enforcement worldwide to locate and detain an individual. It is not an international arrest warrant, but rather a request for cooperation, with enforcement dependent on the suspect’s location.
If convicted, the defendants could face lengthy prison sentences.
In South Korea, producing or distributing sexual exploitation material involving minors carries a minimum five-year sentence under the country’s Youth Sexual Protection Act. Child pornography production is punishable by life imprisonment, while operating illegal online gambling can lead to up to seven years behind bars.