Crystal clear bust: South Korean drug kingpin nabbed in Thailand
A dramatic international manhunt has ended with the arrest of a South Korean man accused of trafficking crystal methamphetamine from Thailand to South Korea.
Thai narcotics police, working closely with their South Korean counterparts, swooped in on 44 year old Seo Jung Num in Chon Buri province.
Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon, Secretary-General of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), revealed that the operation began in December last year when South Korean police intercepted a package of crystal meth concealed in coffee and bean bags.
The drugs, sent from Thailand, raised alarm bells after the recipient in South Korea was arrested. During interrogation, the suspect pointed the finger at Seo, leading to an arrest warrant and a manhunt that stretched across borders.
“After tracking the suspect’s movements, it was clear he had fled to Thailand.”
Thai narcotics officers, together with immigration officials, located Seo hiding out in a hotel in Chon Buri province, a tourist hotspot. He was not only wanted for drug trafficking but was also found to have overstayed his visa, compounding his legal troubles.
Seo is expected to be deported to South Korea, where he will face the full brunt of drug trafficking charges, reported TNA.
In related news, police are searching for a Thai woman who tricked an innocent man in the Isaan province of Udon Thani into delivering drugs to South Korea. The 20 year old victim was hired for 500 baht by a woman to deliver a parcel for her on two occasions. The victim became suspicious about the contents and suspected they might be illegal.
In other news, a South Korean man, previously deported from Thailand, was caught sneaking back into the country and living in Pattaya for weeks, with heroin syringes found scattered in his apartment. The shocking arrest raised eyebrows, with questions swirling about his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
