Police have broken up a Chinese criminal organization that was brokering illegal prostitution in central Jeju through an online platform.
The Jeju Provincial Police Agency said Tuesday it had detained a Chinese woman in her 30s, identified only as A, on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Acts of Arranging Sexual Traffic, and booked without detention a Chinese man in his 30s, identified as B, on the same charges.
The two are accused of setting up a Chinese-language prostitution brokerage website, posting profiles of women holding South Korean and Chinese nationality, and using WeChat to solicit Chinese tourists and others into paid sexual transactions.
According to police, the operation offered tiered packages based on duration and service level, with fees ranging from 110,000 won to 500,000 won ($79 to $362).
Acting on intelligence, officers conducted an undercover investigation posing as customers and confirmed that prostitution was taking place at an officetel in Yeon-dong, Jeju, securing physical evidence at the scene.
Police arrested B on June 18 before apprehending A in an emergency arrest on June 21, detaining her on suspicion of managing the group's finances and arranging the prostitution. Warrants have also been issued for two other suspected members believed to be overseas, and investigators are actively pursuing them.
choigo@heraldcorp.com
