Two South Korean fugitives were arrested by authorities at the Clark Freeport Zone in a joint operation led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
In a statement, the CIDG said the March 25 operation was conducted in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration, the Korean National Police Agency, and the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group.
The suspects, identified by their aliases “Lee,” 45, and “Hong,” 33, are both facing criminal charges in South Korea and were the subject of mission orders issued by immigration authorities.
According to the CIDG, Lee allegedly operated an online gambling website from his residence in nearby Angeles City for more than five months in 2023, generating approximately 2 billion Korean won. He is wanted under a warrant issued by the Suwon District Court on August 5, 2024 for illegal gambling operations and is also the subject of an Interpol red notice.
Hong, on the other hand, is accused of using social media to lure victims into a fraudulent betting scheme that promised profits, defrauding at least 15 individuals of around 300 million Korean won. Authorities also noted that his temporary visitor status in the Philippines had already expired, classifying him as an overstaying alien.
Officials said the arrest underscores strengthened international coordination between Philippine and South Korean authorities in tracking down foreign fugitives.
