BI nabs South Korean fugitive in Las Piñas over illegal gambling

A South Korean fugitive wanted in his home country for alleged illegal online gambling operations was arrested in Las Piñas City, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.

Immigration authorities said the 37-year-old suspect, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was apprehended inside a residential area in Barangay Pamplona Dos on April 14.

He is now under BI custody and will be transferred to the bureau’s warden facility in Taguig pending deportation.

The BI said the suspect was issued an arrest warrant by the Incheon District Court in 2025 for violations of South Korea’s National Sports Promotion Act in connection with illegal online gambling operations.

He and his accomplices were reportedly linked to at least 23 illegal gambling websites operating from various locations.

The group allegedly managed sports betting and casino-style platforms, recruited members, and facilitated financial transactions, generating over KRW 5.33 billion (about P223 million) in profits.

Authorities estimate the syndicate’s total earnings to have exceeded KRW 350 billion (around P14 billion).

The suspect reportedly served as an assistant manager overseeing multiple operational teams composed of about 300 employees, the BI added.

Immigration records showed he arrived in the Philippines in 2024 and was later placed under the BI’s blacklist and watchlist as an undesirable alien and fugitive from justice, despite initially being granted a probationary permanent resident visa.

“This arrest demonstrates our strengthened coordination with international law enforcement agencies and our unwavering commitment to protect the country from transnational crimes, particularly illegal online gambling operations that exploit our systems and communities,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a statement.—MCG, GMA News