Blacklisted South Korean busted for meth, porn in Pattaya condo
Police raided a Pattaya condominium near Jomtien Beach yesterday, November 20, and arrested a South Korean man allegedly hosting drug parties. Officers found him watching porn and gambling online when they entered the unit.
The operation was part of a larger effort by the Chon Buri Provincial Immigration Office targeting illegal foreigners during the high tourism season. Officers said the campaign aims to protect the image of Thai tourism and reassure visitors of their safety.
Residents had filed reports that a South Korean man frequently hired female party entertainers and hosted drug parties inside his condo unit. Police identified the suspect as 46 year old Kim Jinjong and gathered evidence before conducting a raid yesterday.
Inside the unit, police found Kim sitting in front of a laptop watching pornographic videos and engaging in online gambling. A search revealed four plastic bags containing a total of four grammes of crystal methamphetamine and various drug paraphernalia scattered around the room.
Kim was taken in for questioning, where he admitted to buying the drugs from a friend for 4,000 baht. He claimed to be a drug user, not a dealer.
A background check revealed that Kim was on Thailand’s immigration blacklist and had entered the country illegally. Authorities did not specify the exact charges, but Kim is likely to face multiple legal penalties.
Under Section 162 of the Narcotics Control Act, possession of a Category 1 drug could lead to up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both. Additionally, under Section 81 of the Immigration Act, his illegal entry could result in up to two years in jail and another 20,000 baht fine.
In a related case, another South Korean man was arrested in Chiang Mai on 19 November for working illegally as a DJ at several entertainment venues.
Back in August, another South Korean man was detained at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. He was accused of running a money laundering scheme valued at more than 1.6 billion baht to support call centre scam operations over a three-month period.
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