"Spraying Trash and Graffiti at Homes"... Telegram 'Retaliation-for-Hire' Ring Arrested

Police have apprehended 65 individuals involved in so-called "private retaliation-for-hire" crimes, where perpetrators are paid to carry out revenge on behalf of others. Of those arrested, 23 have been detained.

Since the first incident occurred in Daegu last August, a total of 87 such cases have been confirmed nationwide as of this month.

Police have apprehended suspects in 80 of these cases, while the remaining 7 are currently under investigation.

The primary modus operandi of these criminal organizations involves receiving money from clients and then using "field agents" to carry out malicious acts of terror, such as dumping trash or spray-painting graffiti in front of victims' homes.

Police have recently arrested key figures in succession, including Telegram channel operators and money managers.

The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Division arrested a Telegram channel operator, identified as 'A', on June 15 on charges of ordering 9 acts of retaliation-for-hire that took place in Incheon, Busan, Gyeonggi, Gyeongbuk, and Jeju.

Four field agents who carried out the private retaliation under these orders were also apprehended, and all have been detained.

The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Division also arrested four money managers on charges of receiving payment for the crimes and distributing the proceeds via burner accounts or cryptocurrency.

Retaliation-for-hire crimes surged from 6 cases as of the end of last year to 62 cases between January and March of this year.

From April to the present, 19 such cases have occurred.

However, the National Police Agency stated that the trend has been on the decline since the Seoul Yangcheon Police Station arrested three members of an organization that illegally distributed personal information through a delivery agency in March.

Metropolitan investigation divisions across the country are continuing their investigations into other higher-ups and the clients who commissioned the crimes.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.