24 'MZ gangsters' arrested in Gyeonggi after reign of extortion and mayhem

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24 'MZ gangsters' arrested in Gyeonggi after reign of extortion and mayhem

Published: 04 Nov. 2024, 14:23 Updated: 04 Nov. 2024, 14:32

Photo of the apprehended ″MZ gangsters,″ provided by the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency [GYEONGGI BUKBU PROVINCIAL POLICE AGENCY]

Police arrested 24 “MZ gangsters” who were involved in street brawls with weapons and extorted tens of millions of won at illegal gambling establishments.

The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency announced on Monday that it arrested the individuals on charges of violating laws against violent acts and other offenses. Among them, 18 were members of a violent gang, three were involved in mutual assaults, and three were accomplices who helped the suspects evade arrest.

Six suspects have been detained and sent to the prosecution, while 18 are pending further investigation without detention.

The suspects are accused of forming a new gang in the northern Gyeonggi area, establishing a code of conduct, living together and "punishing" members who tried to leave the gang while committing various crimes from November 2018 to June 2022.

The police investigation revealed that they operated as foot soldiers, emulating older gangs in the area. They recruited members through local connections, often involving introductions by neighborhood acquaintances or friends.

″MZ gangsters″ greet their members released from the Southern Nambu Correctional Institution in Guro District, western Seoul. [GYEONGGI BUKBU PROVINCIAL POLICE AGENCY]

Composed mainly of young men in their early to mid-20s, the gang members lived together in rented villas and apartments without stable jobs. They sported Japanese Yakuza-style tattoos and had their gang’s name inked on their chests and backs.

The gang members would remove their shirts at bars or outdoor locations to show off their affiliations, boasting about their gang on social media. They also posted videos online, shouting their gang's name during meet-ups with rival gangsters of similar age.

In April 2022, the gang caused public panic when they engaged in a street brawl in Seoul, wielding brass knuckles and baseball bats, after confronting another gang who they claimed had disrespected them by invading their territory.

"MZ gangsters" hold a reunion with some members half-naked to reveal their tattoos. Photo is unrelated to the article. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY]

Between April of last year and March of this year, they extorted tens of millions of won from the owners of three illegal “hold’em pubs” in northern Gyeonggi, demanding protection fees in exchange for keeping other gangs at bay.

Hold’em pubs are gambling-style establishments where patrons can play poker while enjoying alcohol.

The gang also enforced a strict code of conduct stating that those who left the gang would face retaliation and be forced to leave the area. In one case, they dragged a member in his 20s who expressed a desire to leave to the banks of the Bukhan River and assaulted him with a baseball bat.

The police uncovered these crimes during a crackdown on organized crime in the second half of the year and arrested the suspects following an undercover investigation.

“We will continue to focus on cracking down on the reckless displays of force and violent crimes committed by gangsters in their 20s and 30s,” said the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]