South Korean drug smuggler arrested in Pattaya condo raid
The arrest of 51 year old Lee Chun Sam, a South Korean national, was announced by Pattaya Police Major General Chairit Anurit yesterday, February 12, at 6pm. He was wanted under an Interpol red notice for involvement in transnational drug smuggling.
His arrest occurred at a luxury condominium on the eighth floor of Soi Thepprasit 9 in Jomtien. The Chon Buri Immigration Police had identified his presence in the Jomtien area and devised a plan to detain him.
Upon his arrest, police uncovered over 150 grammes of crystal methamphetamine concealed in the bedroom. They also found a mobile phone, a small GPS device, and various drug packaging materials.
Additionally, books with hidden compartments were discovered and used for smuggling drugs from Thailand to South Korea.
Lee was also found to have overstayed his visa, although the duration of the overstay was not specified. He faces charges from the Chon Buri Immigration Police and the Narcotics Control Board for distributing Category 1 narcotics, specifically methamphetamine.
The charges include selling drugs in violation of the law, promoting their spread among the public, and compromising national security and public safety. He is also charged with overstaying his visa in Thailand.
Police Colonel Naphasapong Khositsuriyamanee shared information that Lee’s activities were linked to his South Korean wife, previously arrested in South Korea for drug smuggling. It is reported that he contacted foreign associates in the Pattaya area to acquire drugs, which he then concealed in books equipped with GPS devices for shipment to South Korea, reported The Pattaya News.
Lee remains under an Interpol red notice for drug-related crimes. The Chon Buri Immigration Office is continuing its investigation to apprehend any of Lee’s remaining accomplices.
In similar news, a man from Sangkhla Buri was apprehended at a checkpoint while attempting to smuggle heroin concealed in a hidden compartment of his pickup truck.
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