Seoul: Four Uzbek men have been apprehended in South Korea on charges of violating the counter-terrorism financing law over their alleged roles in sending money and vehicles to a terrorist group in Syria, police said Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, one of the four Uzbek nationals is accused of sending 6.3 million won (US$4,600) worth of cryptocurrency to Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ), a U.N.-listed terrorist organization, over roughly eight months since April 2025. The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency disclosed that this individual, in his 30s, also received cryptocurrency from the group during the same period. This cryptocurrency was reportedly used to purchase 11 used cars and two excavators in South Korea, valued at a total of 170 million won, which were then shipped to Syria.
The United Nations designated KTJ, a militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda, as a terrorist organization in 2022. Investigators have determined that the suspect has no official ties with the group but began supporting KTJ after being contacted by his younger brother, who is a member of the organization. The suspect was arrested in April, one month after being placed on Interpol's red notice, and has since been indicted with physical detention.
The three other Uzbek nationals have been charged with assisting the main suspect, including tasks such as finding used vehicles for the operation. These individuals have undergone police questioning but have not been detained. The investigation also revealed that the main suspect operated a used car export company under the name of one of his compatriots.