Significant Operation Against Illegal Gambling
Authorities in South Korea have conducted a significant operation targeting a suspected illegal gambling establishment that was masquerading as a cryptocurrency mining facility. The Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju, located in the South Jeolla Province, announced on April 9 that they are currently interrogating the individual believed to be running the operation, who is facing allegations of breaching the Game Industry Promotion Act.
Raid Details and Findings
Reports from Yonhap and Asia Kyungjae indicate that during the raid, law enforcement officials seized 50 gaming machines along with two kiosks from an unregistered site in Gwangju. The police revealed that the suspect had altered free mobile games to be playable on personal computer terminals. According to law enforcement, players were charged a fee of 50,000 won (approximately $34) per hour for access to these games.
Additionally, the operator purportedly distributed cash rewards to players achieving high scores, leading to an estimated total of 140 million won (around $95,000) in illegal earnings generated by the operation.
Investigation and Broader Inquiry
The police also noted that the premises were designed to give the illusion of being a cryptocurrency mining hub, involved in virtual currency exchanges. In the aftermath of this incident, investigators stated their intention to broaden the inquiry, actively searching for potential accomplices who may have participated in enabling the suspect’s activities.
Previous Law Enforcement Actions
This operation comes on the heels of a previous law enforcement crackdown in September, where police in the South Jeolla region apprehended seven individuals involved in a cannabis-narcotics trafficking case allegedly linked to cryptocurrency operations. This earlier case focused on a dealer accused of working with a drug distribution network to conceal methamphetamine across multiple locations in Gwangju’s Western and Northern districts.
