Key facts
- Four Uzbek nationals have been arrested in South Korea on terrorism financing charges.
- The alleged ringleader is accused of sending 4,267 USDT to the designated terrorist group Katibat Tawhid wal Jihad.
- The group is accused of receiving cryptocurrency from the terrorist organization to purchase and export vehicles to Syria.
- The value of the vehicles purchased for export was approximately $121,000.
- One of the arrested individuals was wanted on an Interpol Red Notice.
South Korean police have arrested four Uzbek nationals on charges of financing terrorism, marking what they describe as the first case involving cryptocurrency flowing from a designated terrorist group and being used to purchase physical goods for export. The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency disclosed the case on Tuesday, stating that the alleged ringleader sent 4,267 USDT in seven transfers to Katibat Tawhid wal Jihad (KTJ) between August 2024 and April 2025. KTJ, a Syria-based group composed largely of Central Asian fighters, is designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations and the United States.
Investigators allege that the ringleader then used cryptocurrency received from KTJ to purchase 11 used cars and two excavators, valued at approximately $121,000 (170 million won), which were subsequently shipped to Syria. Three other suspects allegedly assisted in buying and exporting these vehicles. Police highlighted that previous terrorism financing cases typically involved sending funds to terrorist groups, but this instance is unique in receiving funds from such a group and providing goods in return.
The alleged ringleader, who entered South Korea in 2017 on a student visa and has been living as an overstayer since 2023, reportedly used multiple personal wallets and deposited car payments into his spouse's account. He presented someone else's driver's license during his detention. At his first hearing in June, he denied the main charges, claiming the money was for family expenses and that he was unaware of who was buying the vehicles. He also suggested a sibling joined KTJ for self-protection due to violence against Uzbeks in Syria. The investigation has led to the arrest of a second suspect wanted on an Interpol Red Notice, and authorities indicate the inquiry is ongoing.