Pattaya drug bust: Thai police nab South Korean dealer, seize 17 million baht worth of drugs

Thai police arrested a South Korean drug dealer in Pattaya following the rounding up of 70 drug suspects and the seizure of drugs worth about 17 million baht.

The Thai Immigration Bureau (TIMB) held a press conference at the Brighton Grand Hotel in Pattaya today, where they shared the details of the arrest. Officers emphasised that the successful capture of the South Korean drug dealer was made possible through a fruitful collaboration with authorities from South Korea.

During the press conference, the TIMB disclosed that the narcotics suppression bureau in Seoul recently conducted extensive raids on entertainment venues located in the Gangnam and Itaewon neighbourhoods. These operations resulted in the arrest of 70 drug users and distributors, as well as the confiscation of a wide variety of drugs valued at more than 640 million won or 17 million baht.

After the operation, the South Korean officers discovered that a 26 year old man named Kim Junbeom, who worked for a huge drug lord in the country managed to flee to Thailand. Thai authorities conducted further investigation and eventually tracked down Junbeom to a luxurious residence in Pattaya.

According to the police report, Junbeom used a Telegram application to contact his customers and delivered the drugs himself at each entertainment venue. His decision to flee to Thailand was motivated by the crackdown on the venues.

Despite being pursued by South Korean law enforcement, Junbeom continued to smuggle drugs from Thailand to South Korea. He delivered drugs, mostly crystal meth, via parcels from Thailand to South Korea.

The Commissioner of the TIMB, Parkphumphiphat Satjaphan, admitted that when Thailand opened to tourists it also allowed foreign criminals to come into the country. TIMB has implemented more stringent measures and rigorously examines the criminal records of all visitors before granting them entry permission.

During the press conference, the officers also disclosed details of another significant case in which they apprehended a Chinese man involved in money laundering activities amounting to over 2.5 billion baht. The individual was found to be aiding a scam call centre gang operating out of Cambodia.