A gang that operated multiple bars in downtown Busan and manufactured and sold billions of won worth of fake liquor has been caught by the police.

The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit announced today (Sept. 9) that it has detained and indicted a man in his 30s surnamed A, the mastermind of the operation, and sent 60 accomplices to prosecutors without detention on charges including fraud, overseas asset flight, operating an unregistered paid job placement business, and forming, joining, and participating in a criminal organization.

According to the police, A and his accomplices are accused of serving fake liquor at five bars in the Seomyeon area of Busanjin-gu, Busan, from April 2022 to September 2024. When customers lost consciousness, the suspects allegedly used pre-checked smartphone patterns or credit card transactions to charge inflated drinking bills.

More than 1,000 people fell victim to the crimes during the period.

The sales of fake liquor, made by collecting leftover drinks and mixing them with ingredients like black tea, amounted to 3.5 billion won.

Police investigations revealed that A recruited an organized crime member as a manager-level room director, and then gathered friends and acquaintances to form a criminal organization dedicated to manufacturing and selling fake liquor.

Centered around three room directors, A's gang hired employees and operated the bars by dividing roles into managers, waiters, touts, and female hostesses.

When waiters, touts, or other employees failed to meet their daily quotas or violated rules, the room directors subjected them to various forms of abuse, such as smashing their fingers with a hammer, confinement in saunas, forcing them into the winter sea or ice-water tubs, and running while holding gym weight plates.

The case came to light after six employees, no longer able to endure the conditions, reported the gang to the police.

Some employees were reportedly confined in vehicles after their reports were discovered during unannounced smartphone inspections by A, but the police responded swiftly to apprehend A and his accomplices.

Immediately after arresting A, police requested Interpol Red Notices for one co-mastermind and one room director with a gang background who fled overseas.

In addition, the court granted a pre-indictment asset preservation order for 200 million won in escape funds that were about to be delivered to them, and notified the National Tax Service regarding the five problematic bars.

A police official explained, "This was not a simple bar bill scam, but an organized crime targeting male customers."

The official added, "Most of the victims were middle-aged men who were reluctant to even state the facts of their victimization," and noted, "Following the police's persistent persuasion, only 58 people ultimately testified about their damages."

(Photo provided by Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, Yonhap News)